I Slay Gods and Demons in the Deceit Night

Trouble?

Lin Yan's heart gave a slight tremor.

Could it be that Mr. Lu had already known everything?

As he hesitated about how to speak, had he already been seen through by this old temple priest from Qifeng Prefecture City?

Just as he was about to speak, he heard Mr. Lu gently stroking his beard.

"Last night, you slew the bear demon with a single stroke, such fighting power, even within the Refining Essence Realm, is indeed extraordinary!"

"..."

Lin Yan's expression became fixed, and his heart vaguely complex.

Mr. Lu then continued, "Han Zheng speculated that you were cultivating inner strength, but even with his vision, he couldn't imagine that there would be such an outstanding talent in the world..."

"In just a few years, breaking free from human limitations, surpassing the realm of mortal capacity, and achieving the Refining Essence Realm, it truly is astonishing!"

Admiration was undisguised in Mr. Lu's eyes.

"Yesterday, you guarded the city displacing a thousand steps, and also slew the bear demon, exterminating evil spirits. Below the Refining Essence Realm, it's impossible to accomplish this feat."

"Moreover, regarding Zhao Jing's case, you are already deeply mired and highly suspect."

"At this moment, all factions within and outside High Willow City are paying great attention to you, and there are too many doubts surrounding you."

"Two years ago, you had not yet entered the second level of martial arts, and today, displaying the cultivation of the Refining Essence Realm could stir up a huge uproar, which might even spread to Qifeng Prefecture City."

"The cultivation of the Refining Essence Realm is not enough to quell the waves coming from all sides, so showing off too much brilliance before you are strong enough may not be a good thing."

Mr. Lu said this with a tone laced with a hint of lamentation, as if reminiscing about old times.

"A natural-born prodigy, possessing the potential to become a great warrior."

"But even the strong can fall in this world."

"What's more for those geniuses who have not yet fully grown?"

"The world has never lacked geniuses who died young, those with great potential threaten others and are often strangled in their cradle."

With that, Mr. Lu poured more tea into his cup: "I have a way for you to temporarily extricate yourself."

Lin Yan responded gravely, "I am willing to receive Mr. Lu's guidance."

Mr. Lu spoke again, "Everyone thinks the disturbance caused by the evil spirits at Linjiang Square yesterday was quelled by me."

"Does Mr. Lu wish to take credit for this matter?"

"No!"

Mr. Lu looked at Lin Yan with a smile that was not quite a smile, "I do not like to claim undue credit, nor do I like to take on trouble."

He said slowly, "You are not in a position to take on this credit, nor the trouble that comes with it, so I will create a person to take on all this."

After thinking it over, Lin Yan asked, "Is there anything that needs to be done to further substantiate this claim?"

"My word is the evidence!"

Mr. Lu said slowly, "Therefore, this 'mysterious person' not only slew the bear demon and exterminated the evil spirits but also assisted the City Defense Army, sealed the breach, and defended six hundred steps before and after."

"This way, as the Flag Commander, I merely managed to hold down a defense range of three hundred and sixty steps."

"Holding down three hundred and sixty steps would require at least the cultivation of inner strength; you cannot hide that fact any longer," Mr. Lu said.

Lin Yan then understood.

After today, he could continue to hide his Refining Essence Realm cultivation, but externally, he would only be able to display his inner strength.

"However, you are still young, and just a few short years of cultivating inner strength can make you a target of envy in High Willow City, so you must be cautious in the future."

"Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Lu."

"Moreover, the emergence of this 'mysterious person' now carries the significant suspicion of having slain Zhao Jing."

Mr. Lu said calmly, "Therefore, in the future, you still need to find clues regarding 'Zhao Jing's' case to prove your innocence."

Lin Yan originally thought that, once the new scapegoat took on the blame, it would be irrelevant to him.

But listening to Mr. Lu, it seemed that this scapegoat might still have another use?

"I do not covet credit because there is another thing that a young man like you will need in the future — merit."

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Mr. Lu stroked his beard and said, "In the future, if you can face the trouble and unfold this matter, it will be an achievement! Therefore, I dare not claim credit, lest I be resented by the young and make enemies for no reason..."

"Mr. Lu is too serious!"

Lin Yan stood up and performed a bow.

"I have always thought you, a young man, to be as cold as ice, arrogant because of your talent, and disdainful of others. Now, it seems that you do understand propriety," Mr. Lu said with a smile.

"Since this is the case," Mr. Lu continued with a smile, "I have mentioned 'Zhao Jing' so many times, why have you not been forthright with me about what's really going on?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yan immediately apologized and recounted the events of the previous day in full.

However, as Lin Yan spoke, Mr. Lu's expression gradually became much more solemn.

Lin Yan, too, had a look of solemnity as he said, "This man was cut in two at the waist by me, fell from atop the city wall and disappeared into the darkness, yet still did not die. Logically, he should be classified as an Evil Spirit!"

"But this man once served as a guard in Liu Zun Temple, and now he's a high-ranking member of the City Defense Army. Last night, he even appeared holding a Liu-Zun branch Night Lamp..."

"The Observatory is adept at identifying evil and Evil Spirits, yet it failed to detect anything unusual about him?"

Lin Yan spoke with a heavy tone, but couldn't help thinking of that "Chen Yuannv."

She had entered High Willow City during the day, and the Observatory had failed to notice her as well.

Moreover, this woman, without breath, without body heat, not even touching the ground, walked among the darkness, serving beside an evil tiger.

Similar to Zhao Jing, both able to walk in darkness and unafraid of the sunlight of day!

If they are of the Human Clan, how can they walk in the night unharmed by Evil Spirits?

If they are Evil Spirits, how can they walk in the broad sunlight, unafraid of the Liu branch Night Lamp, and yet go undetected by the Observatory?

"Such strangeness is truly rare to see," Mr. Lu said thoughtfully. "However, I vaguely remember that within the secret chambers of the Observatory Headquarters' library, there's a record of this!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yan's heart became clear, and he immediately nodded in agreement.

But at this moment, a thought flickered in his mind.

Then they heard him tentatively begin to speak.

"When I beheaded Zhao Jing yesterday, his upper half fell, and in the palm of his hand, an unusual pattern suddenly appeared."

"This thing was oval-shaped, with approximately eighteen lines, nine red and nine black."

"Later, Zhao Jing's upper body vanished, leaving behind those words of vengeance."

"I've felt uneasy all day, always feeling that the pattern is very peculiar,"

Lin Yan said, his tone heavy as he looked at Mr. Lu.

And they saw Mr. Lu's face gradually become more serious.

Lin Yan saw this and felt a jolt in his heart.

Indeed, Mr. Lu knew of this object!

He was, at this moment, the most knowledgeable person in the whole of High Willow City, bar none.

Lin Yan had speculated earlier that in all of High Willow City, only Mr. Lu could possibly give him an answer!

"Strange! If Zhao Jing had such an object on him, he wouldn't have fallen to such a state..." Mr. Lu murmured softly and then lifted his head to look at Lin Yan.

Lin Yan's expression remained unchanged, but he asked out loud, "Mr. Lu, do you recognize this object?"

Mr. Lu withdrew his gaze, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.

"I have some vague impression, but I can't remember clearly," he said.

"..."

"It's not that I intend to conceal it, I merely skimmed through it back then," Mr. Lu explained. He thought for a moment and then said, "It should be in the ninth volume of Strange Books from Qifeng Prefecture.

Then, without waiting for Lin Yan to respond, he waved his hand and said, "You needn't worry, the volume in question does not concern demons or Evil Spirits, but divine objects of this world."

"Such divine objects are highly mysterious, and since one has appeared in High Willow City, it's indeed something we should understand."

"I'll write a letter later, using the channels of the Observatory to send a message to Wutong Temple in Qifeng Prefecture City, to transcribe this page and send it to High Willow City," he added.

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