Yin criminal?!
Li Yan was both surprised and delighted, while also feeling a bit astonished.
Along the way, he hadn't slacked off in gathering intelligence.
Even when spending most of his ti on the ship, he had the Cao Gang investigate places suspected of yin criminal activities.
However, there had been no results.
Which, in hindsight, wasn't surprising at all.
After all, those who escaped life and death mostly hid in Cave Heaven Blessed Lands to avoid detection by the Yin Bureau.
Li Yan's significant gains were often in these areas.
Those appearing in the markets were mostly ordinary folks who had accidentally returned to life.
Unexpectedly, he made a find at this Jinzhou Guild Hall!
Without a mont's hesitation, Li Yan imdiately grasped the Hook Paper, imrsing his mind into it.
In an instant, the surrounding sounds vanished, and he was enveloped by thick fog.
Already accustod to this, he needed to hurry since he was still in the Jinzhou Guild Hall to avoid attracting attention.
But passing through the fog, the scene before him left him startled.
In front of him was a bronze well, wrapped tightly by chains, with swirling black water within.
An Evil Ghost escaped from the Netherworld!
The Yin Bureau assigns tasks with different wells representing different targets.
A stone well signifies capturing those who have returned to life,
while Black Well Blood Water signifies capturing Demonic Qi.
This bronze well represents an Evil Ghost escaped from the Netherworld.
According to the task description, these "Evil Ghosts" typically don't belong to the Human World but are fearso entities born in the Netherworld or Daluo Law Realm, powerful, destructive, and beyond communication.
This kind of task is usually highly dangerous.
So, like capturing Demonic Qi, failure won't be punished.
How could such a thing exist in the Jinzhou Guild Hall?
Curious, Li Yan quickly placed his hands on the well's rim.
Swish!
The black, murky well water swirled.
An unexpected developnt occurred once again.
At usual tis, a Yellow Decree would manifest in the whirlpool's center, detailing the roots of the yin criminal.
This ti, however, only a mass of black fog surged up and down, changing unpredictably.
The Yin Bureau couldn't distinguish it?!
Li Yan's eyes were filled with astonishnt.
He had vaguely figured out the basic principle behind capturing yin criminals.
Much like the Bronze Nuo Mask, the Hook Paper is a Tunneling Magical Artifact connecting to the Daluo Law Realm. Once it senses the Qi of a yin criminal, it records it, allowing the Yin Bureau to identify and issue orders.
This situation indicated that the Yin Bureau couldn't trace its origins...
As he pondered this, a huge red-robed figure appeared once again in the distant greyish sky. Vague, only a humanoid shape could be discerned, flanked by two smaller black shadows.
"What's going on?"
A loud, authoritative voice ca from above.
Li Yan already knew that this was the renowned Cui Pan.
Feigning confusion, he looked at the black fog above the well, while actually focusing intently.
"Reporting to you, sir."
A strange, sharp voice rang out, "This ti, the yin criminal doesn't possess Netherworld Qi, it seems to co from elsewhere."
"From elsewhere?"
Cui Pan seed to have realized sothing, saying solemnly, "It appears that the Human Dynasty's opening of the sea has brought foreign evils into the Divine State. Have him investigate thoroughly, and the reward will be doubled."
"Yes, sir!"
With the strange voice's response, the black fog before Li Yan quickly transford.
In its billowing transformation, it turned into a Yellow Decree.
Sure enough, it instructed not only to capture but also to investigate the origins thoroughly.
The reward was indeed generous, including an Astral Order and a Divine Astral.
To avoid revealing a flaw, Li Yan deliberately showed a look of delight, reaching out to grasp the Yellow Decree as it sunk into his palm.
Subsequently, pretending not to notice, he quickly subrged himself back into the fog.
Returning to his senses, he found himself back in the guild hall.
The entire process was a re instant, so no one noticed.
Keeping his expression unchanged, Li Yan acted as if nothing happened, yet he was already on high alert.
They passed through the shadow wall, coincidentally encountering a group of workers in short jackets carrying lacquered wooden crates across the courtyard.
The blue-gray brick ground was polished to a shine by footsteps, with the sunlight casting the shadow of the Xieshan gateway longer, illuminating the guild hall signboard with "Connecting the World" in golden lacquer, making it even more dazzling. Their steps startled several gray pigeons perched on the eaves, fluttering past the old pine in the courtyard.
The layout of the Jin rchants' guild hall followed a consistent pattern.
The whole guild hall was centered around the Guan Emperor Temple, with the main hall dedicated to Guan Gong. Larger ones would have a mountain gate, theater stage, and Guan Emperor Hall, while the east and west side halls were used for etings, and the courtyard for activities.
If soone hosted guests, it would typically be in one of the side halls, with a theater troupe also being invited.
The backyard served as accommodation and dining for guests, complete with tea rooms and studies.
"Hahaha..."
From the east wing room ca hearty laughter.
"Those Franks aren't honest in their business, their silver dollars have dubious purity, and they've just been docked twenty boxes."
From the west wing room, a Jinzhou accent tinged with schadenfreude could be heard.
Li Yan glanced slightly, peeking through the carved lattice to see.
A few well-dressed rchants sat around an Eight Immortals table.
Among them was a red-haired, green-eyed foreigner.
He wore a Hangzhou silk coat, if not for the crystal spectacles perched on his hooked nose, he could be mistaken for a local rchant.
An elderly man in a maroon round-flower robe tapped his water-pipe: "The court opened the sea just three years ago, and the harbor tax at Moon Harbor has been raised four tis. The Siam Rice on my ship was wrongfully accused as Siam Fragrant Rice by the tax collector, and I got an extra 30% of ship dues."
He slipped a Spanish silver coin from his sleeve, his thumb brushing over the cross pattern, looking to the side:
"I hear your country has set up a mint in the South Seas?"
The Portuguese rchant quickly nodded, responding in awkward bureaucratic Mandarin: "Our rchant ships' self-ringing clocks and glassware can be exchanged for an equivalent weight of silk and tea in Jiangnan."
As he opened his ledger, he lowered his voice, "If you're interested, we could bypass Moon Harbor..."
"Watch your words!"
The bearded man at the head of the table suddenly lowered his voice.
For they had just noticed Li Yan and his companions while observing through the carved window.
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