This martial saint is too cautious.

Chapter 325 Yinglong (Please continue reading)

The old man's aura was off!

The moment Lin Yan realized it, she pulled Zhao Linyuan back.

However, three breaths later, Lin Yan's expression turned ugly. A ball of flame appeared on the old man's body, burning instantly from the inside out.

In an instant, only a pile of bones remained.

"Crimson Spirit True Fire".

Zhao Linyuan stared at this scene, his mouth slightly agape.

"Junior Brother Zhao, do you recognize this fire?"

Lin Yan's expression didn't change much. He had seen the Crimson Spirit True Fire in the sword collection before. It was a fire-attribute energy, but the old man's strength was not enough to absorb it.

In other words, someone hid the Crimson Spirit True Fire inside the old man's body, not so that he could fight the enemy at a crucial moment, but so that he could commit suicide.

Is this the Li family's method?

To prevent certain secrets from being leaked?

To be honest, Lin Yan didn't like getting involved in other people's schemes and conspiracies; he just wanted to cultivate quietly.

All this scheming and calculating will only waste your energy and effort.

"Junior Brother Zhao, search the water fortress first, search it thoroughly."

Since the old man didn't speak, Lin Yan decided to search the entire water village thoroughly to see if he could find any useful clues.

"it is good."

Zhao Linyuan immediately agreed. The fact that a half-step Dharma Aspect expert would choose to commit suicide to keep a secret precisely shows that the Li family has grand ambitions.

He felt guilty because he had not only been caught in this huge vortex, but also his senior brother Lin had been dragged into it as well.

Lin Yan spread his divine sense and began to explore the entire water fortress inch by inch, leaving no place unexplored, while Zhao Linyuan was looking through some account books in the water fortress.

On the surface, the Li family is indeed cultivating a different species of cuttlefish here, and there are detailed records of their income.

Half an hour later, the two brothers reunited.

"Senior Brother Lin, we didn't gain anything."

"It seems we should have left a few more alive."

Lin Yan also shook his head slightly. He had only been focused on earning martial arts fruits and thought that keeping a half-step Dharma Aspect martial artist alive would allow him to find out what the Li family was up to. However, he had made a mistake.

This incident also served as a reminder to him that although most martial artists cherish their lives, few of those who can cultivate to the half-step Dharma Aspect realm are foolish.

The old man clearly knew he had no chance of survival. Rather than revealing the truth and being killed, he chose to remain silent and commit suicide.

It's obvious that the old man's descendants are under the Li family's nose, so this death at least ensures the safety of his family.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Linyuan spoke again: "Junior Brother Lin should not have revealed his whereabouts during his visit. I can report this to the army and say that I massacred the Li family's water stronghold."

Hearing Zhao Linyuan's words, Lin Yan pondered for a long time before finally shaking his head: "Junior Brother Zhao, you don't need to take the blame. When you return to the army, just say that the Li family's water stronghold has been wiped out."

Lin Yan does like to find someone to take the blame, but Junior Brother Zhao is not a suitable candidate.

This is too big a burden for Junior Brother Zhao to bear.

If Junior Brother Zhuang were here, he could recite it.

The Blood God Cult's children are no big deal; taking on this extra burden is nothing.

"Forest----"

"Junior Brother Zhao, just do as I say. Your superior in the army is probably aware of the situation at the Li family's water stronghold. Rather than lying and losing your superior's trust, you might as well tell the truth."

Lin Yan had already made up his mind on how to handle this matter.

Seeing Lin Yan's resolute expression, Zhao Linyuan didn't say anything more. Senior Brother Lin was a Dharma Aspect Realm expert, and he was definitely more experienced in handling matters than he was.

"Alright, then I'll head back to the barracks now. Farewell, Senior Brother Lin."

"Junior Brother Zhao, wait!"

Lin Yan suddenly called out to Zhao Linyuan, and under Zhao Linyuan's questioning gaze, he took out several bottles of True Essence Pills from his pocket.

These True Essence Pills were what he had left over, and since he didn't need them anymore, he could use them now that he had met Junior Brother Zhao, who was now at the ninth level of True Qi.

"I no longer need these bottles of pills, so I'll give them to you, junior brother. Don't refuse like a daughter; just accept them."

Hearing Lin Yan's words and seeing the three bottles of pills Lin Yan handed over, Zhao Linyuan nodded emphatically: "Thank you, Senior Brother Lin."

.

"Junior Brother Zhao, you go first. I'll clean up the scene."

An hour later, a figure transformed into a rainbow of light and headed towards the location of the Inspectorate of the Southern Sichuan Circuit.

For Lin Yan, his solution to this matter was simple: if the water fortress couldn't uncover the Li family's scheme, then he would go directly to the Li family.

Of course, before that, he needed to meet someone.

The Inspector's Office.

Wearing a mask, Lin Yan quietly sipped his fragrant tea, waiting for the arrival of a certain big shot.

"Ninety-third on the list of prodigies, young friend Lin has truly brought glory to our Shu Nan sect."

After Lin Yan finished his tea, a voice came from outside the hall. An old man dressed in a gray-blue casual robe slowly walked into the hall.

The old man was thin and walked with a steady gait. His brows and eyes held the solemnity of someone who had long held a high position, but when his gaze fell on Lin Yan, there was a look of appreciation in his eyes.

Upon seeing the old man enter, Lin Yan stood up and took off his mask, saying, "This junior greets Lord Luo."

Lin Yan now knows the name of Luo Lie, the Inspector of the Southern Sichuan Circuit. He is a powerful expert at the third level of the Dharma Aspect Realm and has been transferred to the Southern Sichuan Circuit for less than three years. According to the calculation, this is only a little earlier than when Lin Yan himself was appointed to the Southern Sichuan Circuit.

It seems that this Inspector Luo doesn't have a deep connection with the Li family.

As for how the other party knew his identity, Lin Yan was no exception. When he was on temporary assignment as an inspector, his true identity was kept secret, but that was only for ordinary people. It was impossible for him to keep it a secret from this person as well.

"Young friend Lin, is something the matter?"

Luo Lie didn't go to sit at the head of the table, but instead sat down on the chair to the left of Lin Yan, smiling as he looked at Lin Yan with the kind eyes of an elder looking at his successful junior.

"This junior has caused quite a stir in the southern Sichuan region these past few days —"

"Young friend, you obtained the list of bandits in southern Sichuan and wiped them out over several days. If that's all, you don't need to worry. It won't have any impact on you afterward. Even if someone tries to find out about you, I guarantee that not a single word will be leaked."

"Did you guess that, senior?"

"To be able to attack bandits so recklessly, one must be a Dharma Aspect Realm expert. Among the Dharma Aspect Realm experts who have recently arrived in Shu Nan Xing Dao, there is only one, young friend. Moreover, you obtained the list from the Inspector's Office. This matter is not hard to guess."

Lin Yan nodded, but his eyes sharpened the next moment: "Since you know that bandits are rampant in southern Sichuan, why don't you take action to wipe them out, instead of letting them continue to do evil?"

It was unwise to question a third-stage Dharma Aspect expert in this way, but Lin Yan had to test Lord Luo's attitude first.

Luo Lie was surprised that Lin Yan would question him like this, and the smile on his face gradually faded, but he still explained, "The interests are intertwined, and even if I could slaughter all the bandits in the industry, I still couldn't intimidate people's hearts."

"Even if these bandits are gone, another group of bandits will appear. Even if I also wipe out the backers behind these bandits, new forces will take their place. This alternation of old and new forces is not a good thing for ordinary people, and it will affect the stability of the entire region. As the Inspector of Southern Sichuan, I need to consider the stability of the entire region. As for these bandits, it is most appropriate for someone like you, young friend Lin, to deal with them. After all, Southern Sichuan is far from the capital, and my intervention would arouse some unnecessary suspicion."

Lin Yan wasn't too surprised by Luo Lie's explanation.

He could understand the former. Back then, the change of a patrol inspector in Guangping County caused a bloodbath, and even the common people were affected.

At every level, there are conflicts of interest, and no one can stop that.

As for the latter, that involves the relationship between martial arts sects and the imperial court.

Lin Yan didn't really want to hear Luo Lie's explanation; he just wanted to know Luo Lie's attitude. From Luo Lie's answer, he had already formed his own judgment.

"It is my shallowness that has led me astray."

After bowing to Luo Lie to express his apology, Lin Yan continued, "This junior has another matter to discuss."

Luo Lie narrowed his old eyes: "What is it?"

"I was chasing some fleeing bandits and eventually came to a bandit stronghold. I thought that if the stronghold would take in these bandits, it must be no good. So I slaughtered the entire stronghold. Later I learned that the stronghold belonged to the Li family, so I came to see you, senior. If there is any misunderstanding, I apologize to the Li family."

Lin Yan didn't specify which Li family it was, but among all the Li families in the entire Shu Nan region, only that one family could get Lin Yan, a Dharma Aspect martial artist, to speak.

"You slaughtered the Li family's water fortress?" Luo Lie frowned.

"Does the senior think that I have misunderstood the Li family?"

"Young friend Lin, there's no need to test my attitude. The Li family is indeed a malignant tumor. I know that the Li family colludes with river bandits, and I even know what the Li family is plotting."

This time, Luo Lie didn't keep Lin Yan in suspense and just said what he wanted to say.

This time, it was Lin Yan's turn to fall silent.

Seeing Lin Yan remain silent, Luo Lie laughed instead: "What's wrong? You just wanted to know my attitude towards the Li family, and now that I've told you, you're staying silent?"

"Senior, please pretend I was never here, okay? I will leave Shunan Road now and never set foot here again."

"Too late!"

Luo Lie snorted, a smug look on his old face: "You reacted quite quickly, but it's too late to back out now."

Lin Yan gave a wry smile. He had indeed realized what had happened and was somewhat regretful about coming to the Inspector's Mansion.

If I had known, I should have just left.

Since the Li family has a plan, it is unlikely that they will retaliate against me or cause any unforeseen complications before their plan is completed.

And now, he has indeed figured out Lord Luo's attitude.

But for a high-ranking inspector to still tolerate the Li family despite their disdain, it must mean either that it involves a battle between powerful individuals at a higher level, or that he has ulterior motives. In either case, getting involved is not a good thing.

"Let me be frank with you. When you first came to Shunan to take up your post, I had already taken notice of you. Otherwise, how could you possibly enjoy the authority of Tianquan just because you are a disciple of Chengyi Sword Academy?"

"Senior, you must be joking with me. Back then, I was only at the ninth level of the True Qi Realm."

"What I value most about you is not your moral character, but your strong sense of justice and hatred of evil."

Luo Lie recalled the Marquis's evaluation of Lin Yan: "A young man who specializes in killing bandits and hates evil like poison, then give him some preferential treatment."

It was because the Marquis gave the order that Lin Yan was given special treatment.

"Senior, have you met me before?" Lin Yan asked Luo Lie.

"When I went to Beihai to carry out my duties, I happened to witness you killing the bandits, and that's when I took notice of you. Later, when you took up a post in the Inspector's Office, I remembered you."

Luo Lie replied calmly that he couldn't reveal anything about the Marquis's affairs for the time being. He could only attribute the scene of the Marquis meeting Lin Yan to himself, otherwise, given Lin Yan's reaction just now, he might have some suspicions.

After hearing Luo Lie's explanation, Lin Yan was speechless.

Is it really interesting for a powerful expert at the Dharma Aspect Realm to hide and spy on someone killing bandits?

However, since the deed had already been done and he was now dragged into it, Lin Yan didn't mince words and said directly, "Senior, just tell me the truth."

Hearing Lin Yan's words, Luo Lie didn't rush to speak. Instead, he picked up the teacup beside him, took a slow sip, and then said slowly, "Are you sure you want to know?"

Seeing the mocking expression on Luo Lie's face, Lin Yan forcibly suppressed the urge to draw his sword.

We can't beat them!

No matter what, I could never be a match for someone at the third level of the Dharma Aspect Realm.

"In the southern Sichuan region, there is an ancient waterway, also known as the Dragon Transformation Path. The Li family has been acting suspiciously in the southern Sichuan region all these years in order to find this ancient waterway."

"Ancient Waterway? Dragon Transformation Path"

"For a dragon to emerge from the water and transform into a dragon, it must follow the path of dragon transformation. However, the path of dragon transformation in southern Sichuan has undergone several earth-shaking events, and the path of dragon transformation has long since turned into numerous rivers. If a dragon takes a wrong step after emerging from the water, it will never be able to transform into a dragon again. The Li family has been secretly training water bandits in various rivers and waterways in order to determine the current direction of the path of dragon transformation."

"Does the Li family keep a dragon?"

"Raising him is a load of rubbish, it's just a deal we made with that beast."

Upon hearing Luo Lie's words, Lin Yan's expression turned serious: "Is that dragon roaming in southern Sichuan?"

"Yes, that beast is hiding deep in a certain body of water in the Shu-Nan Road. The dragon has not yet emerged from the water, as if it were submerged in the deepest abyss. Not to mention this old man, even a stronger person would not be able to detect the beast's aura or trace."

As Luo Lie said this, he recalled how the Marquis had spent half a year traveling through southern Sichuan searching for the beast's whereabouts, only to find nothing.

"Senior, what impact will the emergence of a dragon from the water have?"

"When the dragon emerges from the water, the mountains and rivers change color, all rivers surge back, and turbid waves rise to the sky. At least a dozen prefectures in southern Sichuan will be turned into a vast ocean."

Luo Lie's expression turned serious, while Lin Yan's mouth was slightly open, taking several breaths to process the information.

He now has some understanding of the population of this world. A prefecture alone has at least tens of millions of people, and a dozen prefectures would have hundreds of millions of people. How could the Li family be so heartless and insane?

"Won't the imperial court take action against the Li family and force them to reveal the whereabouts of the dragon?"

"Given that beast's nature, the Li family wouldn't know his whereabouts. Even if they captured the Li family, that beast would find a way to find the next Li family."

"Senior Luo, do you mean that the dragon can communicate with the outside world?"

"This wicked beast possesses the bloodline of the ancient Yinglong, which has the supernatural power of dream transmission. This wicked beast must have used this supernatural power to establish a connection with the Li family. Without eliminating this wicked beast, merely targeting the Li family will only be treating the symptoms, not the root cause, and without any evidence, it will not be an easy task to take action against the Li family."

Luo Lie shook his head slightly. Given the Marquis's temperament, the fact that he hadn't directly taken action against the Li family was enough to demonstrate how thorny this matter was.

"Junior understands. Senior intends to wait for the Li family to lure that beast out before killing him. Senior's strategy of 'the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind' is truly brilliant." Lin Yan smiled and offered a compliment.

Hearing Lin Yan's flattering words, Luo Lie laughed: "Originally, I was a little worried about how to kill this beast, but now the one who can slay the dragon has finally been found."

The smile on Lin Yan's face disappeared.

"The person who slayed the dragon that you mentioned, senior?" Lin Yan asked tentatively.

Luo Lie stroked his beard: "Isn't it just that it's both far away and right in front of us?"

I?

The one who slew the dragon?

Why not say I am a wise minister who appeared in a dream, just as that beast fulfilled his wish?

PS: I promised to update half an hour later, and if it was later, I would add an extra chapter. But when I checked, the last chapter was updated at 31:31. I guess I'm getting old and my typing speed is slow. I'll add an extra chapter during the day. Brothers, please read on! We've climbed to number eight on the bestseller list. Although I know it won't stay there and will definitely drop, I'll try to stay strong as much as possible. Stay strong, everyone stay strong.

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