"Indulging in pleasures! Wasting ti!"
He Dingshan couldn't hold back anymore, so he played his trump card, "I've recently made great progress in cultivating the 'Profound Turtle Water Control True Spirit Secret Technique'. When I have ti, let's spar in the Lu River!"
Yue Honghai blinked, waved his hand, and took out a small porcelain bottle, "Lady Liu often engages in alchemy, and her master can't consu it all, so whatever is leftover is given to ."
With a slight movent of his True Qi, the stopper of the porcelain bottle slightly lifted, revealing a small gap, releasing a light scent of dicine.
Even just a hint of it made the tea stall owner who was dozing off nearby feel lighter in spirit and more awake.
He Dingshan, of course, noticed the quality of this elixir that enhanced cultivation.
He Dingshan, "..."
Back then, weren't you supposed to be the main villain who acted against Lu Zheng and the Lu River God!?
Yue Honghai and He Dingshan bantered for most of the day until mid-3 PM when Madam Li brought Zhu Yushan and his wife out of Renxin Hall, while Lu Zheng, Liu Qingyan, and Du Yueyao escorted them out.
"We're leaving now; no need to see us off."
"We'll et again in the middle of the year."
"If there's an ergency, feel free to co to the Water Mansion at any ti."
"Alright, sa goes for us."
The two sides bowed in farewell, and then Madam Li cast a blinding technique, concealing their figures from the citizens' view, and then proceeded quickly towards the west gate of Tonglin County.
...
"Actually, before the flooding occurred, the governnt had already received the news," Lu Zheng said.
Liu Qingyan nodded, "That seems to be the case."
At this mont, the two noticed Chief Liu of the county governnt office leading a team hurriedly from the north, heading towards the east of the city.
"Young Master Lu!" Chief Liu brightened up at the sight of them.
Lu Zheng shrugged at Liu Qingyan, "Looks like there's work to be done."
Liu Qingyan smiled without saying a word.
At that mont, a figure walked from the street on the eastern side.
"Junior Brother, you're here too?"
"Senior Brother?"
Lu Zheng looked at Yuan Jing coming quickly and then looked at Chief Liu.
"I received a ssage from the county governnt, so I hurried over," Yuan Jing said.
As ntioned earlier, when sothing happens in the county, there are generally two options: report to the Anomaly Suppression Bureau or collaborate with local abnormal people.
Reporting to the Anomaly Suppression Bureau is relatively slow and neutral, and if the impact isn't significant, who knows when soone would co.
Collaborating with local sects or abnormal people is much more convenient and prompt. The governnt can solve the case early and gain a reputation, while the abnormal people also gain fa, becoming help later sought by citizens in need.
So, unless it's a major case or one ordered by higher authorities to investigate, Tonglin County typically turns to White Cloud Temple when facing demon disturbances.
Lu Zheng is an Outer Disciple of White Cloud Temple, so sotis when Chief Liu sees him, he goes straight to Lu Zheng.
Generally, though, a formal invitation is still sent to White Cloud Temple.
Hearing Yuan Jing's words, Lu Zheng nodded and asked Chief Liu, "What's the matter?"
"In the past five days, three villages have had missing person cases," Chief Liu said.
Lu Zheng blinked, "Have you confird it's the work of the sa person?"
Chief Liu nodded, "All along the Firefly River, there is an evil aura, and the Observation Talismans have reacted."
Lu Zheng squinted his eyes, "All along Firefly River?"
Chief Liu nodded, "I suspect it's a newly transford Fish Demon, just like the Yellow Eel that transford last ti."
Chief Liu was referring to the case when Lu Zheng accompanied Ning Zhiqui upon his appointnt and stumbled upon a Yellow Eel that had transford and was harming the citizens.
He, of course, didn't know anything about the flooding incident.
Chief Liu didn't know about it, but Lu Zheng did, and he estimated Yuan Jing did too. After all, Daoist Mingzhang had improved significantly and could learn more things now.
Lu Zheng looked at Yuan Jing, who nodded and said, "It might not be just a newly transford demon."
"I'll go with you," Lu Zheng said.
Yuan Jing smiled at his words, "With Junior Brother helping, it'll lighten my load."
Chief Liu grinned from ear to ear on the side, "With both of you helping, that newly transford Fish Demon might just end up as a delicacy on our table!"
Lu Zheng turned to Liu Qingyan, "I'll be back soon."
"Will Lu Lang co back for dinner tonight?" Liu Qingyan asked.
"I will!" Lu Zheng nodded, "Might even bring so ga back."
Nearby, Elder Liu shook his head speechlessly, while Du Yueyao laughed aloud.
"Let's go!" Lu Zheng said.
Then Chief Liu led the way, with a group of constables surrounding Lu Zheng and Yuan Jing as they exited the city heading for the direction of Firefly River.
During the journey, Lu Zheng couldn't help but sigh, "That demon is quite bold to cause trouble at Firefly River."
Firefly River is located southeast of Tonglin County and is ford by several streams from the Southeast Mountains flowing together, then andering southwest to join the Lu River, making it a tributary of Lu River.
A rather inconspicuous tributary.
But the main point is its location, right between Shaotong Mountain and Peach Blossom Plain.
Truly chosen a good spot!
If it was slightly further north or south, maybe Chief Liu wouldn't have been the first to find it.
...
The group moved swiftly, quickly reaching the banks of Firefly River at the village of Li by the river, where the last missing person case occurred.
"The first case occurred at Cliff Village upstream, the second at Li Tian Village further downstream near Lu River," Chief Liu explained, "anwhile, this village, Li Village by the river, is around the midstream of Firefly River."
Lu Zheng nodded and went with Yuan Jing to the river's edge.
Yuan Jing pinched a Qi Observation Technique but found no clues.
"The aura has dissipated," Yuan Jing said.
Lu Zheng extended his Divine Sense, activating the 'Profound Turtle Water Control True Spirit Secret Technique' to sense both upstream and downstream of Firefly River, and also didn't detect the presence of any abnormality.
"It's already gone," Lu Zheng said.
This wasn't the sa as the Yellow Eel last ti. That eel had indeed just transford, killing three people in the sa village and hiding not far from the riverbed, practically giving Lu Zheng an easy target.
Chief Liu blinked, "Then did the anomaly go upstream or downstream?"
"Upstream!" Lu Zheng and Yuan Jing said in unison.
"Why?" Chief Liu asked, bewildered.
"Because it doesn't dare enter Lu River," Yuan Jing thought for a mont and added, "Or maybe it's not yet ti for it to enter Lu River."
Chief Liu's eyes widened in understanding, "Lu River has the River God!"
Lu Zheng shrugged, then looked upstream at Firefly River and asked, "Firefly River is ford by many mountain streams; its source should be many spring lakes, right?"
Chief Liu nodded, "Exactly."
Lu Zheng and Yuan Jing exchanged a glance, "Let's go up and take a look."
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