People in the Imperial Music Bureau: The Storytelling Demon Child Nezha

Li Qiye tried opening his eyes again, and this time his eyes adjusted to the light. What came into view was the familiar gray-blue roof of the Night Watchman's Headquarters Clinic, and a tear-streaked face of a young girl—Xu Qi'an's younger sister, Xu Qing.

"Miss Xu..." Li Qiye spoke with difficulty, his voice hoarse and unlike his own.

Xu Qing quickly brought over a bowl of warm water and carefully lifted his head. The warm water soothed his parched throat, and Li Qiye then noticed that Xu Qing was dressed in plain white mourning clothes, and his heart sank.

"How long have I been unconscious?" he asked, his gaze avoiding the hemp rope tied around Xu Qing's waist.

Seven days. Xu Qing's voice was as light as a feather. Chief Wei said that it was already a miracle that you survived... The backlash from the forbidden technique of the Heavenly Secrets Transformation would cause an ordinary person to die on the spot with all their meridians severed.

Li Qiye slowly raised his arm and saw that his once slender fingers were now withered and thin, with faint blood-red lines beneath his skin—marks left by forbidden techniques. Even more terrifying, his right arm had completely lost all feeling, as if it didn't belong to him.

What about Qi'an? He finally asked the question that had been lingering in his mind, even though he already knew the answer.

Xu Qing's eyes instantly reddened. She lowered her head, her slender fingers tightly gripping the hem of her clothes: Brother... Brother he...

Footsteps sounded outside the door, interrupting Xu Qing's words. Wei Wuyai, the head of the night watchmen, strode in, followed by several high-ranking officials. Wei Wuyai was about sixty years old, with white hair and beard, and his eyes, which were once as bright as stars, were now bloodshot.

Chapter 165 Discussion

"Qing, you can go out now." Wei Wuyai's voice left no room for argument. "I have important matters to discuss with Lord Li."

Xu Qing bit her lip, glanced at Li Qiye, and then lowered her head and left. Wei Wuyai sat down on a chair by the bed, while the others stood behind him. Li Qiye noticed that everyone's expression was unusually solemn.

Only one-third of the teleportation array was destroyed. Wei Wuyai cut to the chase, stating that the core part remained intact and that the extraterrestrial forces could repair it at any time.

Li Qiye closed his eyes, and the last scene before the teleportation array flashed through his mind—Xu Qi'an's chest was pierced, and blood gushed out.

Xu Qi'an's remains have been buried in the Memorial Park for Heroes. Wei Wuyai continued, his voice unusually gentle. "He made the greatest sacrifice to protect you and destroy the teleportation array. Before he died, he used his last strength to kill three white-robed priests."

Li Qiye felt a wave of dizziness. He recalled the scene twenty years ago when Xu Qi'an, a boy fighting in the street, was rescued by him from a group of thugs. Back then, Xu Qi'an's face was covered in blood, but he still grinned and said to him: "You're pretty good at using that fan. Teach me sometime?"

Twenty years of fighting side by side, countless times sharing life and death. Now, that man who always laughed heartily is gone forever...

"Who is Azka?" Li Qiye suddenly asked, forcibly pulling his thoughts back to reality. "He knows me."

Wei Wuyai exchanged glances with the people behind him: "This is exactly what I wanted to tell you. According to the intelligence we have, Azka is one of the three high priests of the Blue-Eyed Clan. The Blue-Eyed Clan is the extraterrestrial force that attempted to invade this time."

A high-ranking official handed over a bamboo scroll, which Wei Wuyai unfolded and continued: "The Blue-Eyed Clan lives in another world adjacent to ours. They believe in the Eye of the Void and consider it their destiny to devour other worlds."

Three thousand years ago, they attempted to invade but were thwarted by the Heavenly Evil Buddha. Now they have returned with renewed force, clearly having made ample preparations.

"Why do they know me?" Li Qiye pressed.

Wei Wuyai pondered for a moment: "Two possibilities. One is that they know you will become an obstacle through some kind of prophetic ability; the other is..." He paused, "Someone within our ranks provided them with intelligence."

The room was silent. Li Qiye felt a chill run down his spine—was there a traitor among the night watchmen?

"How are your injuries?" Wei Wuyai changed the subject.

Li Qiye tried to circulate his internal energy and immediately felt a sharp pain: his meridians were severely damaged, and his right arm was temporarily useless. His cultivation level... was less than 30% of its peak.

Wei Wuyai frowned: "The Heavenly Transformation is an ancient forbidden technique with extremely strong backlash. Normally, you would need at least three years to recover."

We don't have three years. Li Qiye struggled to sit up. Azka had said when he escaped that they would repair the teleportation array.

"Good." Wei Wuyai nodded, "So we've decided to split into two groups. On one hand, we'll strengthen the capital's defenses and send heavy troops to guard the abandoned palace; on the other hand..." He looked directly into Li Qiye's eyes, "We need to find a way to completely destroy the teleportation array."

A senior official added: According to ancient records, the core of the teleportation array is made of void stone, which cannot be destroyed by ordinary methods. However, there is a type of mysterious ice essence from the far north ice plains that can freeze void energy and make it brittle.

The far north ice plains... Li Qiye suddenly remembered the mysterious stone the casino owner had mentioned, which was said to have been brought back from the far north ice plains.

"What was Xu Qi'an investigating before his death?" Li Qiye suddenly asked.

Chapter 166 Further Deployment

Wei Wuyai looked slightly surprised: How did you know?

"Just guessing." Li Qiye looked out the window; he never did anything in vain.

Wei Wuyai sighed: He was investigating an ice stone brought back from the far north, suspecting it was related to the teleportation array. Unfortunately, the trail had gone cold... He stood up. "Your current task is to recover from your injuries. A general meeting will be held at headquarters in three days, at which time further arrangements will be made."

After Wei Wuyai and the others left, Xu Qing quietly slipped in again. She was holding a wooden box in her hands, and her eyes were red.

"Brother Li..." she said softly, "These are my brother's belongings." Chief Wei said, "There are some things... that should be given to you."

Li Qiye took the wooden box, his fingers trembling slightly. Inside the box were 847 pieces of the bronze gong that Xu Qi'an never parted with, a bloodstained waist tag, and... a thin notebook.

Turning to the first page of the notebook, Xu Qi'an's messy handwriting immediately caught the eye:

There's more than one ice crystal! The one at the casino is just the tip of the iceberg. The Blue-Eyed Clan is active on the northern border; they must have something to gain. If Seven Nights ever sees this notebook, remember—the answer lies hidden in the snow and winds of the North.

Li Qiye slammed his notebook shut, his chest heaving violently. Xu Qi'an had already guessed it... he had been preparing for this moment all along.

Miss Xu, Li Qiye suddenly said, "Can you take me to see your brother?"

Xu Qing's tears finally fell: Now? But your wounds...

Now. Li Qiye gritted his teeth and propped himself up, cold sweat instantly soaking his clothes. I have to go.

The Memorial Park is located on the hill behind the Night Watchman's Headquarters, where heroes who sacrificed their lives to protect humanity are buried. Xu Qi'an's grave is very new, with the simple inscription "Tomb of Night Watchman Xu Qi'an" on the tombstone, without any fancy eulogies, just like his simple and unassuming personality.

Li Qiye refused to be helped up and knelt alone before the tomb. His right arm hung limply at his sides, and he stroked the cold stone tablet with his left hand.

"You bastard..." he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "We agreed to drink together."

The wind rustled through the pine forest, as if in response. Li Qiye took the broken bronze gong from his robes and gently placed it in front of the tombstone.

"I will find the Ice Stone, I will destroy the teleportation array, I will avenge you," he vowed, then untied his folding fan from his waist—the fan surface was tattered, but this was the one you had always wanted, and now... it was yours.

Xu Qing was sobbing uncontrollably. Li Qiye struggled to his feet and turned to her: "Miss Xu, I have a request."

Brother Li, please speak.

I want to see the score for the Xu family's "Requiem." Li Qiye said, "The move your brother used at the end... I need to understand its principles."

Xu Qing hesitated for a moment: "The Requiem" is a closely guarded secret of the Xu family... but her brother had said that if she wanted to see it, an exception could be made. She took out an ancient-looking jade slip from her bosom; this was a copy. It was originally in the family ancestral hall, and she couldn't take it out.

Li Qiye solemnly accepted the jade slip: Thank you. This could save many lives.

Back at the clinic, Li Qiye endured the pain and studied "Requiem".

This is a secret technique that converts life energy into sonic attacks. It is incredibly powerful but comes at a very high cost—Xu Qi'an died because of it. Li Qiye noticed that the manual recorded that if the Soul-Suppressing Bell could be found and used in conjunction with it, the backlash could be reduced.

"The Soul-Suppressing Bell..." Li Qiye murmured to himself, suddenly remembering that Xu Qi'an had mentioned that it was a family heirloom of the Xu family, but it had long been lost.

Three days later, when Li Qiye was barely able to walk, the Night Watchmen's Headquarters held a general meeting. More than three hundred night watchmen gathered in the hall, the atmosphere heavy and tense.

Chapter 167 I believe in his judgment

Standing on the high platform, Wei Wuyai recounted in detail the teleportation array incident and the threat posed by the Blue-Eyed Clan. When he spoke of Xu Qi'an's sacrifice, suppressed sobs rose from the audience. Xu Qi'an was extremely popular within the organization, and his departure grieved everyone.

According to the latest intelligence, Wei Wuyai surveyed the group. The Blue-Eyed Clan was active on the northern border, seemingly searching for more Ice Stones. We must stop them and find the Profound Ice Soul at the same time.

He announced the formation of a special operations team, led by Deputy Chief Zhao Wuji, to head north. Li Qiye noticed a fleeting, unnatural expression on Zhao Wuji's face when Wei Wuyai announced this decision.

As for Li Qiye, Wei Wuyai looked at him and said, "Given your injuries, you will remain at headquarters for the time being to assist with defense work."

After the meeting, Li Qiye was summoned to Wei Wuyai's study alone. To his surprise, Xu Qing was also there, holding an old-fashioned bronze bell.

"My Lord, Brother Li," Xu Qing bowed and said, "I went back to my hometown and found this in the cellar of my ancestral home."

She raised the bronze bell, its surface covered with runes identical to those on the score of the Requiem. Li Qiye's breath caught in his throat—this was indeed the long-lost Requiem Bell!

"It's fate," Wei Wuyai sighed. "Li Qiye, I've changed my mind. You can't stay in the capital."

Li Qiye looked up: The head seat means...

"Zhao Wuji is untrustworthy." Wei Wuyai lowered his voice, "I suspect he's the traitor. But we have no evidence right now, so we have to play along. I want you to secretly go to the Northern Border to investigate the Blue-Eyed Clan, and at the same time, keep an eye on Zhao Wuji."

My injury...

The Soul-Suppressing Bell can help stabilize your meridians. Wei Wuyai looked at Xu Qing; Qing'er had already agreed to lend it to you.

Xu Qing handed the Soul-Suppressing Bell to Li Qiye: "I've also read my brother's notes. He said the answer lies in the Northern Border... I trust his judgment."

Li Qiye took the copper bell and felt a warm energy flow into his body, which immediately reduced the stinging pain in his right arm.

"When do we leave?" he asked.

Tonight, Wei Wuyai took out a letter and, with it, went to find Cheng Tiexin, the garrison commander of the Northern Border, a man he could trust.

That night, as Li Qiye packed his simple belongings to prepare for departure, Xu Qing rushed over and handed him a small bundle.

She said, "Dry rations and some medicinal herbs." Then she took out a neatly folded white cloak. "This is my brother's... It's cold up north, take it with you."

0 ······Requesting flowers 0 ····

Li Qiye draped Xu Qi'an's cloak over his shoulders and caught a faint scent of wine—Xu Qi'an's favorite Zhuyeqing liquor. In that instant, he seemed to see that hearty man again, raising his wine jug and smiling at him: "Come on, bottoms up!"

"I will bring him back," Li Qiye said softly, though he knew that all he could bring back were his memories.

..... .... ....

As Li Qiye left the night watchman's headquarters under the moonlight, he glanced back.

The Soul-Suppressing Bell was slightly warm in his arms, as if reminding him of the important mission he was on this journey.

Amidst the northern snowstorm, not only lies the conspiracy of the Blue-Eyed Clan, but also the hope of healing his injuries—and the chance to avenge Xu Qi'an.

Li Qiye tightened his cloak and turned to disappear into the night. His silhouette was lonely yet resolute, like a drawn sword pointing directly at the unknown storm in the north.

The official road leading north was even more desolate than Li Qiye remembered.

The autumn wind whipped up withered leaves that lashed against his face like countless tiny blades. He pulled Xu Qi'an's white cloak tighter, savoring the faint, familiar scent lingering in the fabric.

Chapter 168 Blue Eyes

My right arm was still numb, but the Soul-Suppressing Bell hanging from my waist would emit an almost inaudible soft sound every now and then, and the warm current that followed prevented the damaged meridians from completely freezing.

Li Qiye had studied the jade slip given to him by the Xu family and knew that it was the Soul-Suppressing Bell automatically regulating the disordered true energy in his body.

On the third day at dusk, Li Qiye stopped to rest at an abandoned teahouse and discovered the first group of followers. Three men dressed as merchants lingered not far from "847," their eyes constantly glancing in his direction. Their disguises were professional, but the bulges at their waists gave them away—they were folding crossbows specially made for night watchmen.

Zhao Wuji's men... Li Qiye lowered his head and took a sip of coarse tea, the bitter liquid sliding down his throat. Wei Wuyai's warning was correct; the deputy chief was indeed problematic. The question was, how did Zhao Wuji know his route north?

As night fell, Li Qiye deliberately deviated from the official road and entered a dense forest. Moonlight, fragmented by the tree canopy, spilled onto the ground covered with fallen leaves. He pretended not to notice the faint footsteps behind him until he reached an open area, at which point he suddenly turned around.

"Aren't you tired after following me all this way?" Li Qiye's voice was exceptionally clear in the silent forest.

Three merchants emerged from behind the tree, their folding crossbows already unfolded, and gleaming arrows aimed at Li Qiye's heart.

"Lord Li, Chief Zhao requests your return." The leading man said in a cold voice, "Your injuries have not yet healed; you should not travel alone."

Li Qiye chuckled: When did Zhao Wuji become the head? Does Wei Wuyai know?

"Stop talking nonsense!" another man snapped. "Either come with us, or..."

He didn't finish his sentence. Li Qiye flicked his left hand, and three silver needles shot out from his sleeve. At the same time, he rolled to the side, dodging two crossbow bolts. The third arrow grazed his shoulder, drawing a sliver of blood.

The silver needles struck the throats of the two assassins, who collapsed, clutching their necks and gurgling as they gasped for breath.

Seeing the situation was dire, the remaining person turned and fled. Li Qiye did not pursue, knowing that sending someone back to deliver the message was more valuable—to let Zhao Wuji understand that even with only 30% of his strength remaining, Li Qiye was not someone to be trifled with.

After disposing of the body, Li Qiye inspected the captured folding crossbows. This type of weapon was only issued to elite night watchmen, and each one was numbered.

He wrote down the number, then disassembled and discarded the crossbow. The arrow wound in his shoulder wasn't deep, but it stung terribly. Li Qiye took out the medicinal powder Xu Qing had given him and sprinkled it on the wound. The stinging pain as the medicine took effect made him break out in a cold sweat.

"Xu Qi'an, if you were still here, you'd definitely laugh at me..." Li Qiye muttered to himself, biting the cloth strip as he bandaged his wound. Xu Qi'an used to help with these little things; that burly man was surprisingly skillful.

Five days later, Li Qiye arrived at the first fortress in the northern border—Iron Horse Pass. It should have been guarded by Cheng Tiexin, but the soldiers patrolling the city walls were wearing unfamiliar uniforms with a blue eye embroidered on their chests.

Blue-Eyed Clan? Li Qiye observed from a distant hillside, his brow furrowed. The situation was worse than he had imagined; the fortress had already fallen into enemy hands!

He bypassed the pass and continued north along the treacherous mountain path at an altitude of 0.4 meters. As the altitude increased, the temperature dropped sharply. Xu Qi'an's cloak frosted over, and Li Qiye's breath formed white mist in the air. The wound on his right arm began to throb, a sign that the cold was penetrating.

On the seventh night, as Li Qiye spent the night in a mountain cave, the Soul-Suppressing Bell suddenly began to vibrate violently. He immediately extinguished the fire and listened intently. Moments later, the sound of horses' hooves and the clanging of metal could be heard in the distance.

Chapter 169 Joining Forces to Cover Up the Anomalies in the North

Quietly approaching the source of the sound, Li Qiye witnessed a bizarre scene: a group of soldiers dressed in border guard uniforms were attacking a caravan.

This is not unusual, as bandits are rampant in the North. What is strange is that these soldiers do not loot the goods after killing people, but instead pile all the corpses together and have them inspected by a man in a white robe.

The man in white robes bent down to examine each corpse, his eyes gleaming with an eerie blue light in the moonlight.

After confirming that everyone was dead, he took out a small bottle from his pocket and poured the black liquid inside onto the corpses. In the blink of an eye, the bodies melted like candles, leaving only a pool of black liquid seeping into the ground, without even leaving behind any clothes.

Suppressing bandits? Or silencing them? Li Qiye's doubts deepened.