New and dark light years

Chapter 422 Even the founding emperor couldn't do that.
The Demon Extermination Bureau's library was exceptionally large, and there was an old man guarding the entrance.

Generally speaking, those who can stay in the 'library' as a caretaker are almost all 'hidden masters'.

The old man in front of me is one of them.

As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Li Lin's strength is not top-tier, but he is already very sensitive to fluctuations in spiritual energy, primordial energy, and yin energy.

Among normal human beings, if he claims to be second, no one dares to claim to be first.

Of course... there are special and extraordinary exceptions like the Tree Fairy Goddess and the Four Wonders True Lord.

In Li Lin's eyes, the old man's pure vital energy was quite frightening, far exceeding the amount of yin energy in Yue Zhong's body.

So this old man is the pillar of the Demon Extermination Bureau?
Li Lin neither exposed the other party nor showed any particular expression.

Yue Zhong said to the old man, "Old Luo, I'm taking a friend in to look at the collection. I won't lend it out."

“You’re from the General Staff, so you have the final say on this,” Old Luo said with a smile.

His gaze fell on Li Lin, his eyes narrowed slightly, and then returned to normal.

"Commander Li, this way please."

The two entered the library, which was very spacious, with rows and rows of bookshelves. On the second floor, there were many more suspended bookshelves, which also seemed to be filled with books.

Li Lin glanced at it and asked, "Are there so many martial arts or skills in the martial world?"

"Of course not," Yue Zhong said with a smile. "The imperial court used to allocate a lot of money to our Demon Extermination Division. The previous chiefs felt that there was nowhere to spend the money, so they bought a lot of books. There are many martial arts manuals collected here, but... it is less than 10% of the total number of books in the entire library."

"What about the others?"

"Most of them are local county gazetteers, and there are also many rumors related to ghosts and monsters."

Li Lin nodded: "These are the necessary documents."

"So when we encounter some strange or unfamiliar things, we come to the library to check, and we can usually find them."

Li Lin noticed that there was almost no one here and asked, "Does no one usually come here to maintain it?"

Where books are piled up, insects are easily attracted. For some insects, paper is a delicacy.

"Yes, but they've all gone home now," Yue Zhong said with a smile. "What kind of books would you like to read?"

Li Lin smiled and looked at him, saying, "We can read the book later. Is there anything Chief of Staff Yue wants to say to me?"

"Did you see it?"

Li Lin nodded.

Yue Zhong smiled, distanced himself from Li Lin, leaned against a bookshelf, crossed his arms and said, "The Li family of Jin County was suppressed by our Demon Extermination Division and several other families more than sixty years ago, which is why they left the capital. Do you hate our Demon Extermination Division?"

“I am not from the Li family of Jin County.”

"It doesn't matter whether you acknowledge it or not, as long as we believe you are."

Li Lin no longer even had the energy to sigh. No one was willing to believe him, and no one would even listen to his explanations.

"Give me an answer. Sixty years have passed. Does the Li family of Jin County still hate the imperial court? Do you still resent our Demon Extermination Bureau?"

"I have no way to answer that question."

The library was quiet, with only the faint echoes of their conversation.

Yue Zhong pondered for a moment and said, "Xie Feng has returned for revenge, and you just happened to appear. So some people are already suspecting that you released Xie Feng after you went to the capital. Otherwise, she was sealed away perfectly before, and something happened as soon as you arrived."

Li Lin was truly exasperated: "How could they possibly pin this blame on me?"

"Like I said, whether you do it or not, nobody cares; that's just what they think."

Li Lin understood: "Then you'll make me take the blame, right?"

"Now that you're about to become a military governor, it's only natural for some important officials to take the blame for a few things."

Li Lin grinned: "That depends on whether I'm willing to take the blame."

"They insist you memorize it, can you refuse?"

"I won't carry it." Li Lin shook his head.

Yue Zhong squinted at Li Lin and said, "The strongest things are easily broken. If you want to become a military governor and gain power, you will have to pay a price."

"I will guard the southern border for the Great Qi, and that will be enough."

"They would say, 'If the ruler commands the subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die.'"

"That's just something to fool idiots. Back then, Emperor Taizu was ordered by the court to defend the Northern Barbarians to the death, without any money, food, or soldiers. It was clearly a death sentence. Why would he rebel?" Li Lin said with a laugh, "Even Emperor Taizu couldn't do what the emperor commanded. Do you think others will follow suit?"

"How dare you say such a thing?" Yue Zhong's eyes widened.

Li Lin said nonchalantly, "Anyway, it's just the two of us here, so it won't get back to outsiders."

"Aren't you afraid I'll tell on you?"

"If I am really arrested, it will be because you and I conspired together. It would be a situation where we would be at odds. Even if you were the one who informed on me, do you think the Emperor would completely believe you?"

"grass!"

Yue Zhong swore loudly.

He added, "However, the more you act this way, the more it shows that you are a descendant of the Li family of Jin County, and that you still harbor hatred towards the imperial court and our Demon Extermination Bureau."

How are these two things connected...? Li Lin was too lazy to bother with him anymore.

Yue Zhong took a deep breath: "Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore. The main reason I asked you to come here is about Xie Feng."

Li Lin nodded and said, "What is the truth behind the Evil Phoenix?"

"The truth is... Evil Phoenix is ​​Evil Phoenix."

"What do you mean?"

"The empress from over sixty years ago was cunning."

Li Lin was somewhat surprised: "So, the so-called story of the Empress taking off her phoenix robe on the city wall isn't about that, but rather there's another version?" Yue Zhong frowned slightly: "Didn't your elders tell you about this?"

"I already said no."

"Let's assume you're not. I guess your Jin County Li Clan is about to die out, so that's why you're coming out of seclusion?" Yue Zhong seemed to have found a reasonable explanation: "But you are a talented person. It won't be difficult for you to raise the reputation of the Jin County Li Clan again in the future."

Li Lin said, "Let's continue talking about the Evil Phoenix."

"Hmm... The Empress is cunning. She took off her phoenix robe, revealing her true form... a giant phoenix. Then the Di people retreated. It's that simple."

"Then how could she... be discarded like a used tool by the Zhu family?"

Yue Zhong laughed and said, "How could the Zhu family let a treacherous person become empress? Therefore, they set up a banquet on the city wall, saying that they wanted to celebrate her victory and make her happy."

"The result was a sealing formation?"

Yue Zhong nodded.

"No wonder she was angry," Li Lin said with a smile.

"I've asked you to come here today because I need your help."

"Go ahead."

“You help us lure Xie Feng out,” Yue Zhong said. “You are from the Li family of Jin County. Xie Feng is vengeful and grateful. Once your identity is known in the capital, she will definitely come looking for you.”

Li Lin shook his head: "No way."

"Why!"

“What does what happened sixty years ago have to do with a young man like me?” Li Lin said. “Besides, this Xie Feng isn’t a bloodthirsty person… There’s no need to pay any attention to her.”

“But she has already killed the head of the Ji family.”

"Just revenge."

Yue Zhong said helplessly, "Commander Li, you must consider the bigger picture. She killed the head of the Ji family, and the other families will be affected next. Even the Jiang family will suffer. Aren't you on good terms with the Jiang family?"

“I’ve already saved Minister Jiang once. They owe me now, not me rushing to help them.” Li Lin looked at Yue Zhong: “I’m not a bad person, but I’m not a pushover either.”

Yue Zhong sighed deeply: "As expected, your Li family still harbors resentment."

Li Lin said, "Think what you want."

“In that case, our Demon Extermination Division will not support you becoming a military governor.”

Li Lin laughed and said, "It doesn't matter. Alright, if there's nothing else, I'll be going now."

Yue Zhong said, "Didn't you want to read a book?"

"Forget it, I don't owe you any favors yet, and you dare to make such outrageous demands on me." Li Lin turned around and laughed, "If I read a few of your books, would you ask me to risk my whole family's lives for you? I'm not stupid."

Li Lin left the library and quickly left the Demon Extermination Bureau.

Yue Zhong's face turned pale and then flushed.

Not long after, an old man walked in.

Yue Zhong gently cupped his hands in greeting: "Master..."

The old man said helplessly, "I told you, from now on, just call me Old Luo."

There is no one else here.

"That kid said the same thing, but I overheard your whole conversation."

Yue Zhong said with some helplessness, "These descendants of the Li family are very stubborn."

“Young man, you are quite skilled. If I were him, I would be even more stubborn and arrogant.”

Yue Zhong asked, "How powerful is he? Could he be more powerful than you, old man?"

"It's hard to say... Although he may be far less experienced than me in combat, that kid's aura is very strange. It doesn't seem like Yuan Qi, nor does it seem like Yin Qi. I have no idea what to expect."

"What could it be!" Yue Zhong laughed. "It can't be spiritual energy, can it? Hahaha!"

Old Luo did not speak.

Yue Zhong chuckled dryly a few times, then asked incredulously, "Is it really spiritual energy?"

"Even I dare not be certain," said Elder Luo. "After all, apart from a few families of cultivators and the Taoists in the palace, no one dares to say that they know what spiritual energy is."

Yue Zhong pondered, "The Li family of Jin County refines elixirs for the purpose of cultivating immortality. Could they have actually come up with something for them to research?"

“It’s possible, but there’s no need to be too nervous,” Elder Luo said. “The Li family has been living in seclusion in the mountains for the past few decades. They probably have figured out something, but they shouldn’t have reached the point where they can cultivate immortality. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have sent this young man out. After all… this would expose them.”

Yue Zhong nodded: "Master is right."

Old Luo continued, "But no matter what, we can't afford to offend this kid."

“But I have already said that I do not support him becoming a military governor.”

"Not supporting doesn't mean opposing. You're so old, why are you still so stupid?"

Yue Zhong laughed and said, "That's right, neither support nor opposition, let's leave it at that."

On the other side, Li Lin left the Demon Extermination Bureau and headed towards the inn.

Then they realized something was wrong ahead, because a bird-headed, human-bodied monster fell from the sky and snapped the neck of an old man dressed in fine clothes right there in the street.

Then it flapped its wings and flew into the sky.

After a while, the surrounding pedestrians screamed in alarm.

Li Lin frowned slightly as he looked at the 'Evil Phoenix' hovering in the air.

Then, Xie Feng's gaze shifted to Li Lin, looking into his eyes.

(End of this chapter)