Though infiltrating the checkpoint to lose control of the epidemic was a simple task.
Thinking of this, Commander Zhou quickly clasped his hands and said, "What ingenious plan does Mr. Lu have?"
Mr. Lu thought for a mont, then said, "On Mount Lu, there’s a hermit nad An Fade. He’s part of the Confucian circle as well as a Cultivator from the Mystical Sect. He often ventures deep into Xiangyang Mountain to gather herbs and has a good relationship with the Miao tribal villages."
"You may go and invite him to enter the mountains and communicate with those tribes to stabilize the situation."
"An Fade..."
Commander Zhou pondered for a mont, then clasped his hands and said, "Thank you, Mr. Lu, for the reminder. Soone, escort Mr. Lu ho and send so rice, grains, and firewood."
After sending the old man away, Commander Zhou’s eyes quickly turned cold as he said gravely to Li Yan, "Mr. Lu is highly respected in Xiangyang, and I believe him, but this An Fade seems to have so issues. Young Hero Li, as a mber of the Mystical Sect, have you ever heard of him?"
Li Yan shook his head, "Never heard of him."
Commander Zhou nodded, "I will send soone to investigate this matter. The key is still to find the source of the plague as soon as possible."
"Young Hero Li, don’t take offense at my questioning. With people locked in the Captain Bureau, spreading so much information, everyone knows it’s a trap. Would those demons really co to silence them?"
Li Yan replied coldly, "In the governnt office, in broad daylight, people from the dicine Saint Li family vanished into thin air. These demons are bold. If they succeed once, they will certainly try again."
"And those who co may not necessarily be human..."
Commander Zhou felt a headache coming on and shook his head, "I really don’t understand these things. Young Hero Li, is there anything you need to do?"
This mission, undertaken by Li Yan and his companions, was issued jointly by the Yunyang Governnt Office and Zhenwu Palace, with the Ministry of War also involved.
So as soon as he entered the city, the powers in Xiangyang imdiately attached themselves, partly to snatch credit, and partly to shift bla in the future.
Of course, Li Yan did not have the full authority to command; his task was simply to find the source of the plague.
After considering so connections, Commander Zhou was willing to cooperate more.
Li Yan thought for a mont, then whispered, "If Commander Zhou truly wishes to help, you could secretly dispatch new cannons here. Rember, it must be kept confidential..."
...
The Captain Bureau of Xiangyang was located in the western part of the city.
Like in most cities, the area where the Captain Bureau was located usually wasn’t bustling; the citizens kept their distance, and the Captain Bureau didn’t want too complex a crowd outside either.
The liveliest place nearby was the Xiangyang Mule and Horse Market, but it had long since closed, leaving it empty.
In a warm pavilion in a side courtyard, Wu Degui, the Thousand Households of the Xiangyang Captain Bureau, picked up a teacup, skimd the tea froth, and laughed, "Young Hero Li, do you really think those people will co?"
Li Yan let out a helpless laugh, "The plan was proposed by you. Why ask ?"
Wu Degui wasn’t embarrassed, shaking his head, "I don’t understand spells, just planning based on human nature."
"The current situation in the city is unbearable for us, and those demons must be faring no better. If they don’t handle the traitors with ironfisted ans, people’s hearts will scatter all over, so they will certainly make a move."
"The only thing I don’t understand is how, with suppressing objects set in both the county governnt and the Captain Bureau, they managed to use spells to infiltrate?"
Li Yan shook his head, "There’s no need for you to worry, sir. We just need to wait; they’ll eventually reveal themselves."
He then changed the subject and asked about the situation in Zigui.
"The forr Thousand Households in Yichang is formidable..."
Wu Degui briefly described the situation over there and then lanted, "The brothers over there are brave and capable, having made many achievents. After the battle in the Southwest, they’ll probably rise to the skies."
"Sigh, it’s a pity I injured my lungs while practicing martial arts and have no aspirations, as long as I can guard Xiangyang and not lose my post..."
Squeak, squeak!
As they spoke, a rat’s squeaking suddenly ca from above the beam; it was precisely Shu Da, clambering nimbly across the beam with its plump body.
Lv San said in a deep voice, "Soone tampered with the Array, placed suppressing objects on a tree in the courtyard to the left of the main gate..."
Li Yan nodded slightly, "As I suspected, there was collusion inside and out. This is most likely how the people of the dicine Saint Li family were kidnapped."
Upon hearing this, Wu Degui’s face imdiately turned ugly, "Please excuse the embarrassnt, Young Hero Li."
Though angered, he didn’t rush to catch anyone, instead saying, "The internal traitor has broken the Array. There must be demons outside setting up altars for spells. Young Hero Li, can you capture them?"
Li Yan said solemnly, "As soon as they cast a spell, we can find them!"
Saying this, he went to the courtyard, forming a spell with his fingers, "Nuogao! Taiji Grass Spirit, form the soldiers, exorcise evil and aid righteousness, Yang and He spread over the body, North Yin Emperor’s command, deter all weapons..."
Shush, shush, shush!
Three Grass Spirit Paper n shot out from his waist.
As his Dao had ascended to the three-story stage, although he hadn’t learned new spells yet, the power of his initial spells had increased with it.
For example, this Grass Spirit technique had beco more agile and could now utilize Astral Bane Energy to toughen itself, as if paper had turned into iron plates.
In other words, it already had offensive capabilities.
The three Grass Spirit Paper n flew into the air, riding the wind, and after landing on the rooftop, they suddenly stretched taut. Their legs dashed along the eaves and quickly vanished into the darkness...
Li Yan then perford another spell and took a deep breath.
The aura within a five-hundred-ter radius filled his nostrils.
Combined with the vision from the Grass Spirit Paper n, he imdiately saw the traitor’s actions.
A white-haired, triangular-eyed old man, looking like just a minor subordinate, was stealthily placing an Eight Diagrams Mirror on a tree stump.
Li Yan didn’t intervene, just morized his appearance.
Since they were disrupting the Array, it played into his plan. The entire Captain Bureau was under his control, with Lv San’s animal support. He didn’t believe they couldn’t trace the demons!
Yet after waiting, nothing happened.
As Li Yan began to doubt, he suddenly slled several gusts of an earthy, wooden stench rushing rapidly from the northwest. However, they didn’t approach imdiately, instead circling the Captain Bureau incessantly.
What are those things?
Li Yan frowned, puzzled.
The scent from the intruders didn’t belong to Yin Ghost or Fierce Soul, but rather carried an odor of rotting wood, as if buried in the earth.
Moreover, there was also a faint incense sll...
Are they spirits?
It didn’t seem so...
While Li Yan was musing, a human voice suddenly reached his ears.
"Here! Here! Here!"
"Hee hee hee, kill, kill, kill, die, die, die!"
The voice sounded frantic and chaotic, like a deranged child.
Subsequently, several auras quickly burrowed underground.
"Sothing’s wrong, save the man quickly!"
Li Yan gave a low shout, then leaped into the air, breaking through the void with a burst of Hidden Energy underfoot after landing on a beam.
Startled, Wu Degui and Lv San hurriedly followed.
The prison holding that Heavenly Saint sect Han was in a nearby courtyard. As Li Yan descended, he startled the Captain Bureau guards.
"Mr. Li..."
Before they could inquire, Li Yan charged in through the door, "Quick, seal off the entire Captain Bureau. Do not let a single person escape!"
Simultaneously, Wu Degui and Lv San burst in as well.
Everyone rushed into the jail, then gasped in shock.
Two Captain Bureau guards had already fallen to the ground, unconscious, while the man inside the cell was levitating, gripping his own throat, struggling frantically.
Around him, a Yin Wind was swirling.
"Scram!"
Li Yan shouted in anger, and the Soul-breaking Flying Blade whistled forth.
Poof!
Like puncturing a balloon, with a loud pop, the Yin Wind vanished, and the man collapsed to the ground, eyes wide with fear, coughing uncontrollably.
Everyone saw with their own eyes that the straw on the ground flew chaotically, as if a few dark shadows drilled into the earth and disappeared swiftly.
"What...what was that?"
Wu Degui gaped in astonishnt.
"It was a Wild Spirit!"
Li Yan didn’t have ti to explain, instead drew out a waistcoat while speaking, "Brother Lv San, send hawks to track them. Commander Wu, summon troops as backup. I’m going ahead."
Having said this, he started Step Gang Stepping, forming a spell, "Nuogao! The Six Jia Nine Seals, heaven round and earth square. The four seasons and the Five Elents, sun and moon for light..."
Whoosh~
The wind howled violently, and he vanished without a trace.
Wu Degui instantly realized sothing, delightedly exclaiming, "Quick, gather the troops. Have the garrison provide soldiers as backup; we’ve found their lair..."
"And, arrest that bastard from earlier!"
As for Lv San, he had already raised his hand, releasing hawks to follow Li Yan.
The entire Captain Bureau was suddenly ablaze with fire, filled with the noise of people, the neighing of warhorses...
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