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Chapter 243: Inspection of Lizhou
Chapter 243: Inspection of Lizhou
Of the nine prosperous provinces, Lizhou was undoubtedly the most vibrant.
Under its jurisdiction were thirty-six counties, all of which enjoyed peace and stability.
On the eastern fringes lay an unassuming hill, yet the town nestled at its base thrived with a bustle that rivaled that of Lizhou City itself.
Those who passed through exuded a robust aura.
Some sold precious elixirs, while others carried the carcasses of demons and monsters, giving the place the air of a habitat inhabited by martial artists.
The Lizhou Qi Zong.
While their strength might not be considered the pinnacle, their wealth and influence were renowned throughout the Great Qian Empire.
Enjoying the protection of the imperial court in exchange for supplying treasures to the Martial Temple, they were a force few dared to provoke.
But at this moment.
On the peak of that unassuming hill, at the edge of a deliberately excavated hollow, sat a small thatched cottage.
Outside the cottage, an elderly man and a middle-aged man faced each other in a game of chess.
"It seems the Sect Master's mind is not on the game," remarked the middle-aged man, his face smooth and beardless, his eyes a fiery phoenix beneath the pale blue robe that gave him an otherworldly air, albeit with a hint of underlying wickedness.
"Forgive my distraction, Elder Hu," Lin Jinging offered a somewhat forced smile.
"Oh?"
Elder Hu glanced at the hollow filled with white smoke and said playfully, "With the treasure here, why is the Sect Master's mind wandering towards the north...?"
He drew out his words, "That direction, if I'm not mistaken, leads to the Imperial City of the Great Qian Empire."
At this, Lin Jinging's fingers trembled slightly, and the chess piece in his hand clattered onto the board, spinning in a circle.
He quickly composed himself, "Elder jests."
Elder Hu smiled ambiguously, "Enough for today. Sect Master, you should also rest."
"Then I shall take my leave."
Lin Jinging rose and made his way down the mountain path, his expression growing increasingly troubled.
That old fox, he thought. It's clear that he's the one using the name of the Lizhou Qi Zong for his own ends.
Why am I the one feeling guilty?
All I wanted was to invite him to collaborate on enhancing the priceless treasure further, to see if we could forge a true magical artifact.
I never expected him to dare involve himself in the affairs of the Great Qian Empire. This goes against the rules of Qingqiu.
I wonder what was written in that letter sent to Qingzhou?
Lin Jinging dared not inquire further, hoping only that the messenger to the Imperial City would be swift, lest the Qi Zong be tarnished with the reputation of colluding with demons.
This Elder Hu, when clad in his robe, was the esteemed Qingqiu immortal that even the Martial Temple held in high regard.
But should he cast aside that robe... he was a bona fide Demon King.
...
After Lin Jinging's departure.
Elder Hu casually gathered the chess pieces back into the container, and another figure emerged from the cottage.
"Master, has the Qi Zong discovered our presence?" The newcomer appeared to be of similar age, but his demeanor was respectful and deferential.
"So what if they have? Do we, the mighty Qingqiu, need to explain our actions to others?" Elder Hu replied as he put away the chessboard and took a sip from his teacup.
"I have a good relationship with your master, and this matter concerns the honor of Qingqiu. I will ensure the Great Qian Empire provides you with an explanation... First, they lose one of your fellow disciples, and now a tribute bearer has gone missing. Is the Great Qian Empire a den of thieves, preying on the people of Qingqiu?"
"Reporting to Master, both the disappearance of my fellow disciple and that of the Red-Eyed Tribute Bearer are linked to a young man named Shen Yi."
The young fox demon furrowed his brows, "But why send a message to Qingzhou and offer them information about a treasure?"
"Since Shen Yi is the inspector, we need a reason to lure him over. The entire Qingzhou Demon-Subduing Division is keeping this matter under wraps, which means they view him as their lifeline. Whatever the issue, they will surely seek him out in the Imperial City."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," replied Elder Hu with a slight bow. "It's only right that we, the outsiders from Qingqiu, step in when the Great Qian Dynasty schemes to preserve their strength while your Xuan Guang Cave fights for survival against the Thousand Demon Cave."
According to their intelligence, Qingzhou had originally been on the brink of disaster, but the situation suddenly calmed, which was extremely bizarre.
That old wolf had disappeared without a trace. Even with Qingqiu's connections, they couldn't get any information from the other demons and monsters.
This indicated that Xiao Yue had not died in Qingzhou. If it had planned to attack the state city, such a major move would surely not have gone unnoticed by the other demons and monsters.
If it had died elsewhere, then it meant that Qingzhou had acquired a Mixed Element Grandmaster.
That letter, full of loopholes, had been sent as a mere test.
Anyone with a sound mind would never believe it.
Only a true Mixed Element Grandmaster would come resolutely.
Just then, a dragon's roar, laced with anger, reverberated from the distant sky, its authority undiminished despite the vast distance.
Elder Hu's expression changed slightly, and he stood up immediately.
"There's no need for my old friend to worry. This concerns Xuan Guang Cave, and I shall go and take a look."
The voice sounded once more.
Elder Hu hesitated for a moment. Even though he had long coveted the Silver Moon Cold Lotus, he couldn't directly refuse the other party at this moment, so he could only nod slightly and say, "Then I shall leave it to you, brother."
A venerable old dragon comparable to a Mixed Element Grandmaster was not going to be easy to deal with.
The dragon had been guarding the treasure in the Cold Abyss, and only Elder Hu, who had cultivated relations with it over the years, knew of its existence.
Now that its location had been exposed, even a fool would know who had leaked the information.
It would be better to let someone else test the waters first.
With this in mind, Elder Hu slowly walked to the edge of the hollow, gazing into the center of the dense white smoke.
With the artifact complete, he would obtain the Cold Lotus and devour the White Dragon... Tch, a heavenly blessing meant for me to enjoy.
Elder Hu hummed a little tune as he stood there for five days and nights.
However, he didn't receive any news from his old friend. Instead, three clouds appeared in the sky, with the most crimson one attracting everyone's attention.
"Hmm?" Elder Hu looked up.
Immediately, a robust voice enveloped the entire hill and the bustling town below.
"The Inspector of the Demon Suppression Division has arrived! Disciples of the Qi Zong, follow me to greet him!"
High in the clouds, Lin Qingyang bowed.
Once the most famous genius of the Qi Zong, his voice was instantly recognized by all the disciples on the mountain.
"Huh..."
Lin Jingyi quickly stepped out, proving that he was indeed his son.
He immediately tried to distance himself from the fox and make it clear that the Inspector had been invited by the Qi Zong and had not come on his own initiative.
At the same time, this would serve to intimidate the fox.
All the disciples on the mountain stopped their tasks and bowed towards the crimson cloud in the sky.
"...?"
Beside the hollow, Elder Hu stood with his hands behind his back, a strange smile playing on his lips, tinged with ridicule.
These young people these days have little skill but put on quite an air.
Aren't they afraid of damaging themselves?
The other party had arrived much earlier than he had anticipated, but it wasn't much of a problem.
(End of Chapter)
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