No taboos

Chapter 534 Targeted (10,000 words)
The third senior brother carefully considered the two solutions offered by his "confidant".

Make a fist with your right hand and gently tap it against your left palm.

He also felt that even the way out of "going to jail" was actually in line with his own wishes—it exuded a kind of carefree and unrestrained joy!
Without this spirit of "self-discipline," how could my confidant have been able to eliminate all those scoundrels in the city that night?
The third senior brother himself was restricted by too many rules and regulations of Confucianism, which made him unable to do many things he wanted to do.

That's why, after seeing Xu Yuan do what he wanted to do without any scruples that night, he considered Xu Yuan a close friend.

"But..." the third senior brother spoke again, "Now that we have a solution, how do we determine whether these people were aware of the situation?"

But this time, Lord Xu glanced back at him and said, "Sir, don't you intend to show me your skills?"

The third senior brother chuckled heartily and patted his forehead: "Indeed, it's my turn to take the stage."

Lord Xu kept a close eye on the "spirit" to prevent it from escaping.

This "charm" is quite skilled; otherwise, it wouldn't have taken several attempts before the third senior brother discovered it.

But as Lord Xu kept an eye on it, he also shouted "Dreams come true," which naturally allowed him to find out whether the servants in the restaurant knew about it.

But there are clearly free laborers right there, so why not use them?
Since your third senior brother went to great lengths to find you, then please do your part.

But in the mind of the third senior brother, it was a completely different story:
I just asked a question, and Xu Yuan answered it.

Now it's Xu Yuan's turn to pose the question, and I'll answer it.

I need to see if he is truly qualified to be my confidant.

Xu Yuan will also test me.

He has that power.

We really are kindred spirits—we have such a great understanding!

"Please wait a moment, sir." The third senior brother remained polite.

Then, with nimble yet graceful movements, he spread out his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table and quickly painted a picture.

The painting depicts that very "spirit".

"Please have Junior Brother Bai wear this painting and try it out in front of those people, then you'll know for sure."

Neither the third senior brother nor Lord Xu are clearly suited to do this kind of thing.

Mr. Bai will have to suffer.

Xu Yuan remained standing behind the window, but glanced at the painting.

I have to admire him; he truly deserves to be called the third senior brother of Jinxiu Book Club. His level is really high.

But Xu Yuan still shook his head: "The method is indeed feasible, but it's too slow."

"We have to try them one by one; it's easy for unexpected things to happen..."

Xu Yuan was about to help him improve it when he saw his third senior brother smile again, turn around and go back, his brush moving swiftly as he painted a new picture.

The second painting, however, depicts the entire "Zhiweilou" restaurant.

Then throw the previous painting inside!
The second painting transforms into a "dreamscape"—similar to the effect of "dreams coming true."

Xu Yuan nodded repeatedly, sincerely saying, "Sir, you are truly remarkable!"

Then he confidently handed the task over to Shi Qiusheng, who was essentially working for free.

Shi Qiusheng beamed with joy at the praise, her eyebrows lifting in delight.

I feel that this is a mutual recognition between myself and my confidant.

Then they called Mr. Bai in and explained in detail what to do.

The final verification result relieved the third senior brother.

These servants were unaware of the situation.

Most surprisingly, even the owner of "Zhiweilou" was unaware of it!

It's unclear whether this "ghost" came from somewhere else or was originally lurking here. The owner of this restaurant just happened to run into it.

"Charm" has changed the perception of all diners.

The employer thought he had hired a good chef, and even gave the chef a 10% share of the profits.

This makes the chef think that his skills have greatly improved, and that everything he makes tastes delicious!

Xu Yuan laughed heartily: "That couldn't be better."

Then, he lowered the "Ten Thousand Souls Cloth" and wrapped it around the "evil spirit" and took it away.

Immediately, shouts and curses erupted from diners across all three floors of the "Zhiweilou" restaurant.
"Pah! What is this thing? Is it even edible?"

"Bring your manager here. What's going on today? Did you change the cook?"

"This food is awful! I'm going to beat up the cook!"

The senses that had been manipulated returned to normal.

Chaos reigned at Zhiweilou.

Xu Yuan gave his third senior brother a wry smile and said, "Let's... go somewhere else."

"it is good."

The third senior brother readily agreed.

So they changed to another restaurant, but halfway there, the third senior brother started to get distracted, as if he had something on his mind.

Upon arriving at the second restaurant, the third senior brother suddenly said to Xu Yuan, "Could you perhaps change the previous method of handling things, sir?"

Xu Yuan was surprised: "Oh? Does sir have a better way?"

"Not exactly." The third senior brother's expression showed a hint of reluctance: "I originally thought that even if the servants in Zhiwei Restaurant were completely unaware, the owner must have known."

Xu Yuan nodded.

The "ghost" was hiding in the restaurant, and the restaurant owner was undoubtedly the biggest beneficiary.

Anyone would immediately conclude that the restaurant owner is guilty.

"But the owner is also unaware of this... It would be unfair to him to sell the restaurant."

"Zhiweilou's business will inevitably plummet, followed by the sale of its assets at a bargain price..."

Xu Yuan laughed and beckoned the waiter over: "Come here, I have something to ask you."

The waiter shouted "Ah!" and was overjoyed to recognize Lord Xu. He was about to kneel down when Xu Yuan stopped him: "Don't make a fuss, we're just having a meal."

"Yes, yes!" the waiter said in a low voice, but he was still very excited. "How honored I am to serve our Champa's true justice..."

Xu Yuan was actually quite pleased with himself.

These ordinary people, seeing me, were not afraid, but delighted; this is the true reputation of an official!
But he maintained a reserved demeanor, gently pushing away with his hand: "Eh—, it's all within my duty."

The waiter dared not linger any longer and hurriedly asked, "What does the master want to ask?"

"How's business at your restaurant?"

"Not bad, not as good as Zhiweilou, but the owner still makes a lot of money every year."

"Suppose your chef suddenly drops in skill and the dishes no longer suit the customers' tastes, what do you think your employer would do?"

The waiter replied without hesitation, "Get a new chef."

"Haha," Xu Yuan laughed, then tapped the table: "Okay, let's order."

The third senior brother standing to the side understood.

I couldn't help but feel a little ashamed.

Under the current circumstances, the owner of Zhiweilou may not necessarily sell the restaurant directly.

Why not just get a better chef?

I really got stuck on a rut just now.

Mr. Bai watched from the side, shaking his head inwardly, feeling indignant on behalf of his third senior brother.

Actually, you can't blame the third senior brother. How should I put it... the third senior brother was a genius from a young age. It is said that he could recite three hundred ancient poems at the age of three and could speak eloquently at the age of six.

He never truly immersed himself in the lives of ordinary people, nor did he engage in any business ventures.

He truly maintained a childlike heart.

Xu Yuan didn't laugh; at least his third senior brother genuinely cared about the common people.

Compared to those inhuman beasts like the Lin and Shen families in the city, Xu Yuan would rather associate with his third senior brother, someone who "never lifts a finger."

After a simple dinner, everyone took their leave. The third senior brother couldn't help but ask, "May I visit you again tomorrow, sir?"

Xu Yuan was somewhat puzzled. "What do you want to visit me for?"
"Tomorrow... I'm afraid I won't be able to find the time," Lord Xu politely declined.

"Oh..." The third senior brother's disappointment was clearly visible.

After parting ways, the third senior brother and Mr. Bai returned to their residence.

The whistling sound he carried with him rang, and it was his senior brother calling to ask him something:
"How is that person?"

The third senior brother gave an affirmative answer: "He is the person we are looking for!"

The eldest brother laughed heartily: "For you to approve of it so much, it must be quite good. I will inform our teacher tomorrow and ask him to write to His Majesty to finalize this matter."

"Okay, he won't let us down."

The eldest brother then said, "Then you should return tomorrow."

The third senior brother was reluctant to leave, but he didn't want to lie to the eldest senior brother, so he stammered, "I..., how about staying a few more days?"

The eldest brother knew him well, and then laughed loudly: "It seems that person really suits your temperament!"

"He is my lifelong friend!"

"Alright, I'll tell the teacher for you that you should stay a few more days before coming back."

"Thank you, senior brother!"

After finishing her conversation with her senior brother, Shi Qiusheng washed up and rested, but couldn't fall asleep no matter how much she tossed and turned in bed.

My confidant says they can't make time tomorrow—is it because of important business?

Or should we go and exterminate some evil spirit?
Very well, I'll go to the government office again tomorrow, and if anything happens, I'll lend him a hand.

……

Day two.

According to the Chinese almanac, today is a day of prohibition:

Juggling, getting drunk, stargazing, playing chess.

Xu Yuan woke up, feeling the barely perceptible gains brought about by "making progress one step at a time".

He couldn't help but wonder what level of destiny cultivation was needed for someone to truly suppress daily taboos with a "no taboos" destiny.

During breakfast, Xu Yuan stopped Liu Hu and said, "When you have time, go to Zhiwei Restaurant and secretly see if their chef has the talent. If he does, then teach him the Ghost Banquet Technique."

"As ordered."

"Let Jia Yi and Zhang Meng go with you."

Xu Yuan made this arrangement partly because of Shi Qiusheng.

Shi Qiusheng was worried about the people at Zhiweilou last night, which also touched Xu Yuan, who decided to help if he could.

On the other hand, it was also considered that everyone in the Zhiweilou restaurant, from top to bottom, who had been in contact with that demon for a long time, must have been infected.

Send Jia Yi and Zhang Meng along; they will understand Lord Xu's meaning and conduct a secret inspection.

If someone is severely infected, then "treatment" is necessary.

Those who have been infected but have not yet been corrupted are actually easier to get started with.

Because in this mortal world, the root of all cultivation actually comes from evil spirits.

Liu Hu withdrew, and Lord Xu continued eating. Before he had finished, Old Qin rushed over with a solemn expression: "My lord, something terrible has happened!"

"Ok?"

Xu Yuan told his third senior brother last night that he might not have time today, but it was just an excuse. Could it really be true?

In this era rife with evil spirits, one really can't speak carelessly...

Old Qin: "Inspector Yang was attacked by evil spirits at Xiaotangyi last night!"

"Inspector?" Xu Yuan immediately felt troubled.

The Bureau of Purification has a total of eight inspectors.

His rank was equivalent to that of Ma Tianshou.

Their duty is to inspect various places and eliminate evil. If there are corrupt officials who embezzle public funds and bully the local people, they can be executed on the spot if the evidence is conclusive!
This official position does not exist in the Mountain and River Division or the Demon Extermination Army.

Among the "Three Offices of Deception," the Department of Exorcism was indeed the most principled.

The eight inspectors' whereabouts were not fixed; they could go wherever they wanted.

Xu Yuan had no idea when this Inspector Yang had arrived in Jiaozhi.

But Yang Xunshi came to Champa without a word, and stayed at "Xiaotangyi" in the northwest of Champa last night. Xu Yuan was almost certain that he was here because of the Lin and Shen family cases.

This case is indeed huge; eight major families in the city were attacked by evil spirits at the same time!

Over a hundred members of the main branch of the prominent family died...

Xu Yuan didn't even bother eating anymore, got up and walked out: "To Xiaotangyi!"

Lang Xiaoba and the others immediately followed.

As Xu Yuan walked, he asked, "Where is the person who came to deliver the message?"

"Right at the entrance of the government office."

The messenger was an inspector, whose demeanor and manner clearly indicated he was from the Northern Capital Administration.

Although he appeared somewhat flustered and anxious, he clearly exuded a sense of superiority.

He was just an inspector, but when he met Xu Zhanglu, who was of a much higher rank, he didn't even show basic courtesy.

Xu Yuan ignored him and asked urgently, "Is the Inspector injured?"

The inspector said, "They were only slightly injured, but six of us died!"

The incident happened on Xu Yuan's territory, and since they were there to investigate Xu Yuan, the entire patrol team secretly identified Xu Yuan as the prime suspect!
"Come on!"

As soon as the group set off, they saw the third senior brother gracefully approaching with a folding fan in his hand.

"Lord Xu, where are we headed?"

"I have important official business to attend to today..."

The third senior brother immediately said, "I will go with you."

Xu Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and he nodded, saying, "Thank you!"

Third Senior Brother is a third-rate scholar, while Inspector Yang's level must be quite high. The evil spirits that could harm him are not ordinary evil spirits. It would be excellent if a third-rate person were willing to help.

But the inspector's face turned cold, and he said stiffly, "Chief Lawyer Xu, this is a matter of great importance. We won't accept people of unknown origin..."

Xu Yuan interrupted him without hesitation: "This is Mr. Shi Qiusheng, the third senior brother of Jinxiu Book Society."

The inspector immediately fell silent.

Everyone in Beidu knows the three senior brothers from Jinxiu Academy.

They are not exactly the prodigies of the younger generation, because they are a bit older.

But their status is higher than that of those prodigies.

The true potential lies in the future.

And they are now the strong ones.

The third senior brother was always polite to everyone; this upbringing came from the Confucian tradition of cultivating manners from a young age.

“Brother,” the third senior brother said, holding his folding fan upright, and clasped his hands in greeting to the inspector, “I am also an official, so it is only natural that I should do my part for the affairs of the court.”

He held a sinecure at the Hanlin Academy, a position of unparalleled prestige.

The inspector smiled broadly and returned the bow deeply: "I didn't know it was you, Third Master, just now. I was very rude and offended you. Please forgive me!"

"It's alright, it's alright." The third senior brother waved his hand: "Official business is important, let's set off now."

The inspector nodded quickly: "Yes, sir."

The officials of the Champa government secretly sneered at his arrogant yet obsequious demeanor.

What's wrong with people from the North?
We've seen plenty of people from the north.

Miss Jinxi, Princess Ruicheng, Shi Qiusheng—aren't they all people of noble birth?
They never put on airs.

On the contrary, you, a mere inspector, are full of arrogance.

The inspector arrived on horseback, as did everyone else in the Exorcism Division.

Xu Yuan was about to instruct his men to bring a good horse for his third senior brother when he saw his third senior brother smoothly and effortlessly sit on the "Dream Come True" horse.

They stood to the left and right of Xu Yuan.

The third senior brother smiled at Xu Yuan and said, "Lord Xu, let's set off."

Xu Yuan was a little worried that "Dream Come True" wouldn't let his third senior brother sit down, but... this craftsman actually behaved himself and didn't cause any trouble.

"Oh, third-rate."

……

Xiaotangyi is 30 li away from Zhancheng.

It's not a large-scale operation.

There is a hot spring in the nearby mountains, hence the name.

The Ming Dynasty had a large number of post stations, which consumed a great deal of money and grain every year.

In the early years, some people in the imperial court suggested that all these post stations should be abolished.

The reason was that many officials not only used it themselves, but also their families and relatives, and even their servants would stay at the imperial post stations when they went out to deliver a message.

But after all the commotion, nothing came of it in the end.

The Ming Dynasty had many imperfect systems, especially after several hundred years of rule, when the institutions became bloated and wasteful.

But the Ming Dynasty is still very powerful.

It might even be the most powerful empire in this mortal world.

Gold and silver from overseas flowed in continuously, and the army conquered all directions.

The canal, like blood vessels, carries the power of the Ming Dynasty to every corner of the empire.

It also fed back the nutrients from various places to the Ming Dynasty.

During this era, the Ming Dynasty had extremely frequent exchanges with overseas countries.

Countless snow demons, red-haired barbarians, and blue-eyed barbarians traveled between the Ming Dynasty and the Western Barbarians. They wrote many "travelogues," making the entire Western Barbarian world aware of the wealth and power of the Ming Dynasty!
Both the northern and southern capitals are among the most prosperous cities in the world.

Even a random prefecture in Zhengzhou Jiangnan is more prosperous than the capital of most Western countries.

No one dared to provoke the Ming Dynasty's caravans overseas; even in the distant Western Regions, they were treated with great respect.

The Red-haired Barbarian fleet, once hailed as "invincible" in the Western world, suffered repeated defeats at the hands of the Ming Dynasty navy.

It is said that those defeats indirectly led to the decline of the Red-haired Barbarians, and now the most powerful fleet in the Western Barbarians belongs to Anelia.

It remains to be seen whether war will break out between Anelia and the Ming Dynasty...

……

The courtyard of Xiaotangyi is only three acres in size, with seven or eight rooms.

Inspector Yang's group consisted of thirty people, which was barely enough for them to stay.

Inspector Yang had originally planned to head to Champa early this morning, but due to the incident last night, he decided not to leave today and wanted to investigate thoroughly.

Inspecting various locations is a very risky job.

This was not the first time the Bureau of Purification's inspections had been attacked.

Even Inspector Yang himself was not being attacked for the first time.

But every time such an incident occurs, the General Administration of Exorcism has a clear stance: we must investigate it thoroughly!

The mastermind behind the murder must be severely punished.

Otherwise, this inspection system would be rendered ineffective.

When Xu Yuan arrived, the postmaster of Xiaotangyi was waiting for him by the roadside, his face ashen.

Whether Lord Xu will face imminent disaster is still unknown, but his future is certainly ruined.

The inspector didn't even glance at the postmaster, and led Xu Yuan straight inside: "Sir, Xu Yuan has been brought!"

Xu Yuan frowned, and the Champa officials behind him erupted in an uproar!
"What do you mean? Do you think my master is a criminal?!" Inspector Yang was in his forties, in the prime of his life.

He was slightly overweight, not very tall, with a gloomy gaze, and one arm was bandaged with blood seeping out.

The effects of the evil magic continued to affect him, and the bleeding from his wounds was difficult to stop.

A kind of gloomy aura, like mist and sand, lingered around the arm on his hand.

He sat upright in the armchair, coldly looking at Xu Yuan standing below.

Beside him stood a strong martial artist, twelve feet tall, resembling a bull demon.

He held a thick iron bar in his hand, and slammed it down hard, shattering the ground with a loud crack.

He shouted angrily without any politeness, "No noise!"

However, while he could keep others in check, he couldn't keep Lang Xiaoba and Ji Shuangqiu in check, who were also martial arts practitioners.

"You're being unreasonable, and you won't even let people speak?" Ji Shuangqiu rolled up her sleeves and rushed forward.

Xu Yuan raised his hand to stop her.

Lord Xu didn't even look at the martial arts practitioner, but stared directly at Inspector Yang, cupping his hands and asking, "Does Lord Yang also believe that I am guilty?"

Inspector Yang snorted, his voice still cold, though his strength was inevitably weak due to his injury: "You know why I'm here."

"But at this very moment, I was attacked by evil spirits. Tell me, aren't you a suspect?"

Xu Yuan also snorted coldly: "In that case, I should avoid suspicion."

Xu Yuan waved to his men and turned to leave: "Come back with me, we're no longer needed here."

"Yes!" everyone agreed, and they were about to follow Lord Xu back to Champa.

What kind of bullshit superiors and inspectors are we? We're not putting up with this anymore!

The martial artist flew into a rage: "Insolence!"

But his roar did not frighten Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan ignored him and strode out.

Wu Xiu let out a loud "Wow!" and leaped outwards like a giant ape pouncing down from the cliff. He flew over everyone's heads and landed with a thud in front of Xu Yuan, sweeping out with the huge iron rod in his hand!
"Let's see who dares to leave!"

The iron rod, accompanied by a strong gust of wind, swept over Xu Yuan's head with a "whoosh" before slamming heavily onto the ground in front of him.

boom!
The stick sank deep into the ground, shattering the floor tiles and sending debris flying everywhere!

Xu Yuan cursed inwardly. Standing with these martial arts practitioners was truly unpleasant!

This guy was twelve feet tall, much taller than Xu Yuan!

He swung the iron rod horizontally, and it rose above Xu Yuan's head.

Xu Yuan usually looked very imposing with Lang Xiaoba and Ji Shuangqiu by his side—two big guys behind him.

But having such a barrier in front of you is really unpleasant.

Inspector Yang came specifically to investigate me, and pointed his finger at me, saying that I was highly suspected.

Lord Xu was extremely displeased; this crude martial artist, like a giant toad, had jumped from above his head to right in front of him—

Xu Yuan kicked the iron bar.

Just as the martial arts practitioner felt he had "shown his power" and intimidated the country bumpkins of the Champa government, he saw Xu Yuan kicking his weapon and then grinned maliciously, increasing the force in his arm.

We must shatter the foot bones of this arrogant little rascal!

However, a terrifying force surged forth, and the iron rod flew out with a whoosh.

It spun rapidly in the air and disappeared in an instant!
The martial arts practitioner's arm was ripped open with a crack, resulting in a broken arm and a dislocated shoulder!

"Ah—" he screamed, clutching his arm and backing away, his eyes filled with horror and confusion.

How could he possibly be stronger than me?!

The excruciating pain of the broken and dislocated bone made him break out in a cold sweat, but he still stared at Xu Yuan's foot, his face full of indignation: "Winning by relying on craftsmanship is not a fair victory!"

You're not a martial arts practitioner, so you couldn't possibly be stronger than me. You must have used a crafted item!
Xu Yuan sarcastically remarked, "Short-sighted and prejudiced, no wonder you can't see the real culprit!"

"Enough!" This time it was Inspector Yang who spoke up, his face extremely ugly: "Xu Yuan, what do you mean by this? Can't I say anything? You're giving up just because I said one sentence to you?"

Xu Yuan's attitude did not soften in the slightest: "Your Excellency is my superior, and I have no right to say anything no matter how you scold me."

But official business must be handled officially. Since you have determined that I am highly suspicious, I should recuse myself. Is there anything wrong with that?

But this one under your command, sir…

Xu Yuan looked at the martial arts practitioner and said, "It seems to be the master's personal bodyguard? No wonder the master was injured last night."

Wu Xiu let out a loud roar and charged forward again.

Several of Yang Xunshi's men rushed forward and grabbed him together.

One or two people really can't stop a martial arts practitioner who's blinded by rage.

"Let me go!" the martial arts practitioner roared as he struggled. "I'm going to beat him to death!"

He then yelled at Xu Yuan, "You, surnamed Xu, you're no hero for relying on your craftsmanship! If you're so capable, abandon your craftsmanship and fight me hand-to-hand!"

Xu Yuan looked speechless and shook his head, saying, "Lord Yang, we should use fewer people like this in the future. Our Exorcism Division relies on our brains to investigate cases!"

The martial arts cultivator was so enraged by Xu Yuan's yin-yang words that his chest pounded: "You are clearly a pill cultivator, you don't rely on crafts, so how can you possibly surpass me in strength?"

Xu Yuan coldly said, "Fighting Technique!"

The violently twisting and struggling martial artist froze instantly.

Xu Yuan loved to banter with martial arts practitioners.

Because once they lose, they really won't even bother to argue or deny it.

Although they have cultivated to the point of being enormous and possessing the strength to lift the sky, they still believe that we are reasonable people.

Of course, people like Ji Shuangqiu might also have philosophical thoughts like, "I can't win an argument, but I also have some fighting skills."

But this martial arts practitioner can't win through reasoning, and is clearly no match for fists and feet.

I immediately lost heart.

Yang Xun's eyebrows twitched with anger, and he cursed, "Get out!"

"Oh." Wu Xiu slumped down and obediently rolled into the back room.

Inspector Yang then looked at Xu Yuan and asked, "Don't leave yet, I have something to ask you."

Speak politely, and I will answer seriously.

You're just throwing accusations at me like that, I'm not going to play along!
Xu Yuan bowed and said, "Please speak, sir."

"Last night..." Inspector Yang said with a sullen face, preparing to talk about the attack last night, but suddenly noticed that among the people behind Xu Yuan, there was one wearing a blue scholar's robe who did not seem to be a member of the Exorcism Bureau.

Inspector Yang pointed at his third senior brother: "Is he from the Exorcism Bureau?"

The third senior brother finally found an opportunity, stepped forward, cupped his hands and said, "This student, Shi Qiusheng, greets Lord Yang."

When Inspector Yang heard that he had only given his name and called himself a "student," he realized that he was clearly not from the Exorcism Bureau, so he wanted to order his men to throw him out.

But then he suddenly remembered something, his expression changed immediately, and he stood up and asked, "Was it the Third Senior Brother of the Brocade Academy in person?"

"They are students."

"Oh my!" Inspector Yang exclaimed with delight, stepping forward to grasp Shi Qiusheng's hand and shaking it vigorously a few times. "I've long heard of Third Senior Brother's illustrious name, but I never expected to have the honor of meeting him in Southern Jiaozhi!"

Inspector Yang was also a scholar.

Shi Qiusheng's reputation among scholars is indeed so great that even those who are not students of the Jinxiu Academy want to meet him.

The third senior brother, with a warm smile, said sincerely, "In Beidu, I often heard people mention Lord Yang, praising his uprightness, fearlessness of power, and his eradication of long-standing abuses. It is truly an honor to meet you today!"

Upon being praised by his third senior brother, Inspector Yang's face immediately lit up with excitement!
This is personally certified by the third senior brother of Jinxiu Bookstore!

My reputation will surely rise to new heights.

"Oh dear, I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it..." Inspector Yang's chubby face beamed with joy: "It's all my colleagues' flattery."

He pulled his third senior brother, saying, "Senior brother, please sit down..."

Shi Qiusheng hurriedly said, "Sir, you are older than me, so I dare not accept the title of Senior Brother. If you do not mind, please address me by my courtesy name: Yan Kong."

"Okay." Inspector Yang readily agreed, and they addressed each other by their courtesy names, a treatment reserved for close friends.

When word gets out later, Lord Yang will have a lot of face.

"What is Yan Kong doing in Jiaozhi, and why is he in Champa?"

Xu Yuan clicked his tongue – “Yesterday, when Ji Shuangqiu praised Shi Qiusheng in front of me, I thought that girl liked the handsome scholar and was exaggerating.”

It seems that... Ji Shuangqiu, like me, doesn't fully understand the importance of my third senior brother.

The third senior brother answered Inspector Yang's question first: "Our master ordered me to come down and do some things."

Then he offered, "Sir, perhaps we can discuss this later. Now..."

The third senior brother looked at Xu Yuan and the others.

Inspector Yang smiled and said, "Yan Kong is right, official business comes first."

However, they never mentioned again that Shi Qiusheng was not a member of the Exorcism Department.

However, this time Inspector Yang's attitude was much better.

The third senior brother came with Xu Yuan, so they must have a good relationship.

“Lord Xu,” Inspector Yang said politely for the first time, “around midnight last night, thieves suddenly sneaked into the post station and opened the main gate to let evil spirits in.”

"My men and I awoke with a start and hastily engaged in battle. Although we fought with all our might, the evil spirit was ferocious and far superior to us. If it weren't for Youchen and the others risking their lives to protect you, you wouldn't be seeing me today."

Xiang Youchen was his patrol inspector, and had followed him for seven years.

He died at the hands of evil spirits last night while protecting him.

In addition, five of his men were killed in the line of duty.

Governor Yang was also saddened when he spoke of this.

"That evil spirit is after me!"

"I only arrived in Luocheng yesterday and, after reviewing the case files there, decided to first investigate your Champa case—"

At this point, he stared at Xu Yuan and said, "Tell me yourself, is there any reason why I suspect you?"

This time, Xu Yuan didn't argue with him. He frowned and pondered, "Sir, what level is that evil spirit?"

"It's probably third-rate."

"Where is the Lord?"

"A fourth-rate scholar."

"A thief is assisting that evil spirit?"

“That’s right, but throughout the entire battle, the thief remained hidden in the shadows and never made a move, so his strength must not be very high.”

Xu Yuan nodded and said, "This humble official would like to take a look around."

Inspector Yang remained silent in thought.

He had actually used the sounding wheel to appeal to the General Administration for help, asking them to send a third-rate repairman to Champa for support.

He has to investigate the case of the powerful clans in Champa raising evil spirits, investigate the case of his own attack, and guard against being attacked by those evil spirits again. He will definitely be too busy to handle everything.

But he still dared not use Xu Yuan.

The third senior brother coughed lightly and said, "Lord Yang, I can guarantee with my life that what happened last night was definitely not done by Lord Xu."

"Oh?" Inspector Yang was quite surprised.

Even Xu Yuan was surprised.

The third senior brother smiled and said, "I believe in Lord Xu's character."

Inspector Yang gritted his teeth and said reluctantly, "Fine, go and see."

Xu Yuan then got up and went outside to inspect the post station.

The situation inside the post station was extremely bad; four houses had collapsed, and most of the surrounding wall had also fallen down.

Everywhere you look, there are strange techniques and traces of the skills left by the cultivators of the seven major sects.

Xu Yuan had his men stand aside while he examined the traces alone.

Too many people will only get in the way.

As he watched, Xu Yuan began to wonder: No way...

Half an hour later, Xu Yuan had toured the entire post station before returning to Inspector Yang and asked, "May I take a look at the injuries of your men, sir?"

Inspector Yang waved his hand.

Those around who were injured took off their robes.

But almost everyone wore an expression of distrust.

I only cooperated because of the envoy's orders.

At least half of these people have already concluded that Xu Yuan is the mastermind behind it all!

After Xu Yuan finished reading, he came to Inspector Yang, cupped his hands and said, "Sir, I apologize."

Inspector Yang was taken aback: "You want to see mine too?"

Xu Yuan: "Thank you for your trouble, sir."

Impatiently, Inspector Yang shoved his injured arm in front of Xu Yuan and said, "Fine, fine, take a look!"

Xu Yuan unwrapped the bandages, revealing Yang Xunshi's wound.

He had a deep wound on his arm.

It looked like it had been clawed out by some kind of wild beast.

The wound is black, so there must be poison on the claw.

Moreover, Inspector Yang must have treated the wound, but there was still a layer of yin energy covering it.

The third senior brother stood aside, looking at the wound with a pained expression, and said, "If Lord Yang trusts me, I..."

Inspector Yang hurriedly replied, "That is indeed my wish, but I dare not ask you to."

He then said to his subordinates, "Quickly prepare paper and pen..."

The third senior brother waved his hand: "No need."

He took a small ink stick from his sleeve, chewed it, and then sprayed it onto Yang Xunshi's wound.

However, it did not land directly on the wound, but rather condensed into the character "化" about five inches above it.

The character fell downwards.

The yin energy that had been clinging to the wound like a maggot to its bone gradually disappeared.

At the same time, Yang Xunshi's wounds began to heal visibly.

Inspector Yang gave a thumbs up: "Yan Kong truly lives up to his reputation—today I've broadened my horizons and witnessed the 'chewing ink and falling book' technique, a secret of the Jinxiu Book Society!"

The third senior brother smiled modestly, cupped his hands, and took a step back: "It's just a trivial skill, not worth mentioning."

He didn't take credit, only helped treat the injuries, and didn't interfere with Xu Yuan's investigation, demonstrating a good sense of propriety.

Xu Yuan asked, "Lord Yang, what kind of evil spirit attacked you last night?"

Inspector Yang said, "It's a vicious dragon!"

Xu Yuan's face remained calm.

He was filled with confusion: it couldn't be a dragon.

However, judging from the traces left by the attack, it was indeed an evil spirit of this kind.

Moreover, someone climbed over the wall into the courtyard and opened the door—Tian Jing was also with Jiao.

For a moment, Xu Yuan even suspected that someone was deliberately framing him!
But then she realized that no one knew about her relationship with the dragon.

But if it weren't for them... a dragon plus a person... wouldn't that be too much of a coincidence?
Where did they escape to?

This time, one of the magistrate's men stepped forward and pointed northeast, saying, "It went that way. I led men to chase after it after dawn, and we could still see traces left by that evil dragon along the way."

The person in charge of law was named Yue Zheng.

As they spoke, he led the way, taking Xu Yuan to see the traces.

To the northeast is Xiaoyushan.

There was indeed a clear trail outside the post station, winding for seven or eight miles before disappearing into a river flowing out of the mountains.

Xu Yuan carefully examined the marks.

Even now, including in the post station, Xu Yuan has never seen a single scale fall off.

Xu Yuan chased after Yue Zheng all the way to the riverbank, but casually asked him, "What level is that martial artist beside the Inspector?"

Yue Zheng frowned. He already has a broken arm, why are you still bothering him?
Xu Yuan waited for a while, but didn't hear a reply, so he couldn't help but turn around and ask, "What level is he?"

Yue Zheng replied stiffly, "Fifth-rate."

Then, after holding back for a while, he still felt uncomfortable, so he simply said, "Although Zhang Tietou has a bad temper, he is the one who suffers. Lord Xu, please stop now!"

Xu Yuan waved his hand: "You misunderstood. Zhang Tietou was also involved in last night's battle, wasn't he?"

"of course."

"His iron rod weighs three hundred pounds. Even a third-rate evil spirit would have several of its scales shattered if it were hit by his rod."

If it were any other third-rate evil spirit, Zhang Tietou might not be able to hit it, but with the size of the evil dragon, it was impossible for him to miss with a single blow.

After Xu Yuan finished speaking, he looked at Yue Zheng seriously: "But I didn't find a single scale. Why?"

Yue Zheng hesitated and did not answer.

"Hmph!" Xu Yuan snorted coldly, "You still don't trust me, do you?"

Yue Zheng lowered his head and refused to answer.

Xu Yuan turned back to face the river and called out, "Zhang Meng!"

"My subordinate is here."

"Let's search along the river into the mountains and see if we can find any trace of that evil dragon."

"Yes!"

Zhang Meng had been itching to show off his skills for a long time, and this situation was perfect for him to demonstrate his abilities.

Zhang Meng first sniffed at the traces, then followed the river upstream, carefully searching for the same scent on both banks.

Search along the west bank of the river for five li, then take a boat to the east bank, turn back and search the east bank for another five li.

They advanced slowly, and by noon they had entered Xiaoyushan.

Yue Zheng summoned one of his captains: "Go back and tell the inspector that we have entered the mountains and do not need to wait for us for lunch."

Two more hours passed, and they had gone forty miles into the mountains, but still found nothing.

"Let's stop." Xu Yuan looked at the sky and called out to Zhang Meng, "Go back to the inn. If we keep going, we'll have to spend the night in the mountains."

Zhang Meng was eager to prove himself: "Sir, give me a little more time, I'm sure I can find it."

Xu Yuan patted him on the shoulder: "I have never doubted your abilities."

On the way back, Xu Yuan kept thinking.

The subordinates all knew Master Xu's habits, so no one spoke to disturb him.

Yue Zheng was somewhat amused, though he didn't show it overtly.

Ma Tianshou once praised Xu Yuan for his strong case-solving abilities, calling him his most capable subordinate.

You arrived at Xiaotangyi full of bravado, eager to solve the case with unwavering confidence—and what happened? You've been busy all day with no results.

Back at the post station, Inspector Yang deliberately asked, "Lord Xu, did you find anything?"

Xu Yuan first recounted the matter of the scales, then added, "We've gone forty miles into the mountains. By all accounts, that evil dragon should have emerged from the water and come ashore long ago, but we haven't detected its scent on either bank. This evil spirit is very cunning!"

Inspector Yang beckoned, and a captain came in carrying a tray.

The tray contained some scales the size of palm fans.

Most of them were broken, with only two pieces intact.

Inspector Yang said, "Don't say I don't trust you. The dragon scales that were knocked off during last night's battle were collected by my men and are all here. I'm handing them over to you now."

Xu Yuan touched the scales and found that they were somewhat different from those of the dragon.

(End of this chapter)