Seeing their expressions, Yu Lingzi actually felt delighted. With a warm face, he led them to the rear hall of the City God Temple and opened the storeroom, retrieving two boxes which he directly handed to Li Yan.
"These two spiritual materials are priced at two thousand taels in total. I will not ask for more, just enough to recuperate the cost."
"Please rest assured, I cannot guarantee other things, but at least in the City God Temple of Yichang, all Spiritual Materials and Magical Tools will be offered to you at a discount."
"Thank you, Daoist."
Li Yan and the others quickly bowed in thanks.
This matter was significantly beneficial to them, enabling savings wherever possible.
Yu Lingzi was also pleased; such minor spiritual materials were not so important to him as long as he could stabilize the situation in Yichang, waiting for the ti when the court would resolve the chaos.
For a mont, both parties were satisfied.
Li Yan smiled and bowed, "Elder, please send soone to accompany us to the governnt office to inquire among the common people, perhaps we can gather more information. We’ll depart afterwards."
"What a coincidence, I was just about to discuss this."
Yu Lingzi stroked his beard, "Last night, the Captain Bureau followed the traces but those remnants of the Longxiang Army had fled into the nearby mountains through the East Gate, their whereabouts unknown."
"The Captain Bureau ca this morning to inquire about so matters and ntioned they would send soone to join you, which might fish out those remnants."
Upon hearing this, Li Yan frowned and imdiately refused, "The official air of the Captain Bureau is too strong and might alarm the demons, which would be inconvenient."
"It’s alright."
Yu Lingzi smiled, "They will only send a Hundred Household disguised as an attendant, which won’t cause any trouble."
"Moreover, Erbei Bay is within the jurisdiction of Zigui County, close to the mountains of the Tu people, where the folks are fierce. In so places, the villagers even disguise themselves as river bandits to rob during idle farming seasons."
"Additionally, from Yichang to Zigui, one must pass through Xiling Gorge, the most dangerous part of the Three Gorges waterway. There, few locals speak the official language, you might not even be able to ask for directions without help."
With the situation explained this way, Li Yan no longer had reason to object.
Moreover, it seed the Captain Bureau already had a plan, and by their nature, even if opposed, they would likely follow secretly.
Thinking this, Li Yan gave Sha Lifei a aningful glance.
Sha Lifei imdiately understood.
They had previously discussed strategies for such situations.
That was to use force to fight force!
Whether it was the Captain Bureau, the Law Enforcent Hall, or the Magic Veins, they could leverage them as needed.
As long as the end goal was achieved, all was negotiable.
Sure enough, in less than half the ti it takes to burn an incense stick, soone sought an audience outside, subsequently led into the City God Temple by a young acolyte.
The visitor was a middle-aged man, handso with an average height, broad shoulders, wearing coarse fabric and a bamboo hat, and carrying a fishing rod—a fisherman’s guise.
He entered with a smile and greeted with a bow, "Captain Bureau Hundred Household Yuan Kejian, at your service."
Li Yan and the others inwardly praised him.
Many from the Captain Bureau carried a distinct air of authority.
It was an attitude developed over years of pressuring ordinary citizens and treating those in the pugilistic world with disdain.
There was once a joking tale in the pugilistic world, saying that even when mbers of the Captain Bureau disguised themselves, they liked wearing official boots.
However, this man was wearing tattered hemp shoes and even deliberately dirtied his hands and feet, making him no different from an ordinary fisherman.
"Greetings, sir."
Li Yan and the others also bowed slightly.
"Eh~"
Hundred Household Yuan quickly waved his hand with a smile, "As the Daoist may have ntioned, I am just accompanying and will not hinder your affairs. Just call Old Yuan."
"Sir, you jest." Li Yan rely smiled faintly.
Despite what the other party said, they would not truly treat him so casually.
Being a Hundred Household in such an establishnt as the Captain Bureau, none were easy to deal with. All sorts of cunning and deceitful characters were common.
Hundred Household Yuan laughed it off, saying no more.
Yu Lingzi feigned ignorance to the awkward atmosphere, stroking his beard with a smile, "Hundred Household Yuan, you’ve co just in ti. Young Hero Li and his companions are heading to the governnt office to inquire about so information, and we need your assistance."
"That is only natural."
Without further ado, Hundred Household Yuan led Li Yan and the others out of the City God Temple, heading towards the Yichang governnt office.
They had just left the street when a brawl erupted.
Several n in rough clothing and red belts, wielding knives and sticks, stord into a tavern.
Clatter!
Suddenly, the second-floor window of the tavern shattered.
An old man broke through the window, rolling on the ground to dissipate the force and then trying to flee.
At that mont, a nearby peddler carrying a box swiftly pulled out a stick from his load, stepped forward, and shook the bar horizontally.
Li Yan noticed and his eyes imdiately brightened.
What a splendid Liuhe Spear!
With a loud thud, the old man was hit on the head, falling unconscious on the ground, motionless.
A group of n quickly stepped forward and bound him with the Five Flowers knot.
The man disguised as a peddler then picked up a stick, clasped his fists to everyone around, and loudly said, "Fellow villagers, do not fear, this man is an assassin from the green forest, infiltrating Yichang City to create chaos."
"We, mbers of the Divine Fist Association, have orders to capture him and ensure peace for the region!"
"Excellent!"
The surrounding villagers cheered in approval.
Whether they were Han people or from the Tu Clan, the reaction was the sa.
They all had lived in the city for many years, and could not help but notice the recent abnormality, with so, scared, deciding to move their families to Han Port.
The intervention of the Divine Fist Association indeed stabilized people’s spirits.
Upon seeing this, Yuan Kejian shook his head, smiled, and said, "Young Hero Li, you must have already t Lei Zhen, the senior of Ezhou Martial Arts, a person whose words could impact the region."
"Originally, Yichang’s Divine Fist Association had connections with several other sects and the Tusi, trying to play both sides, which led to this chaos."
"Last night, Lei Zhen summoned people, scolded them profoundly, and no one dared to object further. If the Divine Fist Association fully commits, at least Yichang could be much calr and we could catch a breather."
Li Yan, sowhat surprised, raised his eyebrows and asked, "Mr. Yuan, does the Captain Bureau also lack people?"
Yuan Kejian was silent for a mont, his smile gradually fading as he solemnly said, "Young Hero Li, being from the pugilistic world, it is understandable that you dislike the practices of the Captain Bureau, but this is now a matter concerning the nation’s destiny."
"With the impeding big battle, the Captain Bureau must act first. We had over a hundred brothers infiltrate the Tusi’s village to gather intelligence, and now less than half of them are still alive, all of whom were capable n."
"If I can capture any remnants of the Longxiang Army, their compensation can be more substantial."
His voice was calm, but his eyes were slightly red.
Li Yan fell silent for a mont, then nodded and said, "Rest assured, Mr. Yuan, those people won’t escape!"
The chaos in the streets was not isolated.
The Divine Fist Association had practically co out in full force. So hiding techniques common in the pugilistic world could fool ordinary people but not them.
Many from the green forest were discovered, surrounded, and captured.
So resisted forcefully,
while others were outright killed on the street.
In the looming shadow of war, there was no holding back.
Of course, many others, sensing sothing was amiss, disguised themselves and fled towards the city gates.
Li Yan and others didn’t bother to watch the spectacle and headed to Yichang governnt office.
As the saying goes, having connections makes things easier at the governnt office.
Yuan Kejian spoke a few words at the entrance, and an arrest officer appeared, eager and hospitable, leading them to pull people from Yichang’s big prison.
This was Li Yan’s first visit to the prison.
Such places were never benevolent.
Many fierce ghosts and evil spirits were ford from extre emotions combined with Yin Evil Qi, turning an unarranged prison into no different from a Ghost Breeding Cave.
Hence, every prison was specially arranged.
At the entrance of the prison, the stone doorfra was carved with Bi’an.
With large glaring eyes and sharp, fierce fangs, it exercised control over the prison.
Unlike the common auspicious flowers, the corner brick carvings were filled with concave talismans, filled with vermilion.
It looked utterly ominous.
Located by the river, all cells in Yichang were damp and dark, compounded by the poor, pungent candlelight, making the air unbearably foul.
Clearly, the jailers also knew this incident was significant.
Any minor mistake could be exploited.
Therefore, the people from Erbei Bay who were locked up, although living miserably and eating disgustingly, at least were not beaten.
They were ordinary citizens, who, in a mont of hot-headedness incited by others, regretted their decisions after being detained for just two days.
Signing docunts, pulling people out for interrogation, the governnt office’s arrest officer knew this route well.
"Wronged, wronged!"
A skinny man cried out in protest as he ca out.
"Wronged about what?"
The governnt office arrest officer, looking fierce, scolded, "Cheng San, where did you get the guts? Daring to commit arson and assault the City God Temple."
"Now you know fear?"
"Wuu wuu~"
"Stop crying! These gentlen have questions for you, and if you tell even half a lie, just wait to rot in this prison!"
Though his words were fierce, they clearly implied a way out.
The two must have known each other from before.
Li Yan didn’t bother to intervene, instead, he started to ask detailed questions.
And indeed, more clues erged...
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