Chapter 1607: Stalling Each Other

Dong Rui laughed: "I've already arrived at Peach Creek, and I've seen Cao Wendao!" How could he let the enemy under his nose escape?

Hearing that he was keeping a close watch on Cao Wendao, He Lingchuan felt relieved.

As long as he hadn't lost him.

Dong Rui's proposal seemed to be the best solution. He was sneaking underground on the Snail Toad, not restricted by Qingyang, so he could indeed intercept Cao Wendao.

Next, it was a matter of seeing whose combat power was superior.

He Lingchuan didn't think Dong Rui would lose.

Here, Qingyang was unhurried, watching He Xiao in a daze without urging him. She was indeed stalling for time for Cao Wendao. That guy was someone she had invited to kill, but now she had to come forward to cover his escape.

Sigh, what kind of situation is this? Zhao Song on the side looked at her, then at He Lingchuan, lost in thought.

He Xiao was chasing an assassin at night, but the Qingyang Regent was blocking his path, making small talk—it was obvious she wouldn't let him chase the murderer.

Sure enough, He Xiao's judgment was correct; that assassin was sent by the Qingyang Regent, right? Zhao Song had been an official for many years and knew very well when to keep his mouth shut—

Like now, it was best for him to be a silent gourd and report to the King when he returned to the palace.

Dong Rui had already slipped away to Peach Creek, so He Lingchuan focused on dealing with the situation at hand: "Regent, please speak."

He was actually patient. Qingyang was slightly surprised, but she also focused and said: "Snail Toad."

Saying these two words, Qingyang stared fixedly at He Lingchuan, not missing any subtle expression on his face.

He Lingchuan's heart shook violently, and a chill couldn't help but rise on his back: Qingyang had made the connection after all!

The two words "Snail Toad" were almost tied to all of He Lingchuan's secrets.

The Elixir of Immortality case, the havoc in the Heavenly Palace, the Great Emperor of Nine Serenities, the death of Xue Zongwu...

Qingyang popping this term out was like tearing off He Lingchuan's disguise, exposing his secrets to the public.

Moreover, Qingyang being able to say the name of the Snail Toad meant she had linked him to Shuangye and Xi Yunhe, which meant new hatred and old grudges were surging together! But He Lingchuan had understood since Qingyang suddenly appeared that she was closely linked to Cao Wendao. Then, the secret that He Xiao had a Demon Puppeteer by his side probably couldn't be kept.

So he spent the greatest effort to restrain his emotions, even his pupils only dilated slightly. On the surface, everything was as usual, with two parts of confusion:

"What?"

Qingyang smiled as she looked at him: "You haven't heard of this thing?"

"I've heard of it. Xi Yunhe's subordinates rode it to hunt monsters in the Chiyan Nation and refine the raw material for the Regent's Elixir of Immortality—the pulp beads. I was the one who discovered it first." He Lingchuan said naturally, "When I left Beijia, this thing was still missing. Does the Regent have any advice?"

The palace guards behind him all pricked up their ears to listen to the gossip. Everyone knew Qingyang had fallen because of the Elixir of Immortality case, but only the parties involved—He Xiao and Qingyang—knew the details of the case.

Qingyang knew this boomerang would definitely hit her, but her face didn't change: "That traitor Xi Yunhe, in order to frame me, found a Demon Puppeteer to create the 'Snail Toad,' which has the ability to escape underground on rainy nights."

She raised her hand to catch a thin snowflake in front of her, watching it turn into a water droplet in her palm and drip to the ground.

"For example, this kind of weather tonight is suitable for it to commit crimes."

He Lingchuan asked curiously: "Oh? The Regent specifically mentioned the Snail Toad—are you planning to hand it over now?"

Wasn't Qingyang trying to stall for time? Fine, he would have a good debate with her.

Anyway, with Zhao Song and hundreds of palace guards on the side, how could Qingyang directly attack him? This remark also made Qingyang frown slightly, but she still said: "Do you know where the Snail Toad went later?"

"This is an unsolved mystery of the Elixir of Immortality case." He Lingchuan said solemnly, "I thought the Regent could solve my confusion."

Xi Yunhe, who once went by the alias Mai Xuewen, had secretly contacted him and provided clues, but apart from the two of them, only the State Preceptor Shuangye knew about this.

Qingyang had no direct evidence and relied entirely on deduction.

So in the eyes of outsiders, Xi Yunhe was still an accomplice on the run, and the Snail Toad was still a tool for the Qingyang gang. Because of the special nature of the case, the Elixir of Immortality case had been closed, but the people, events, and objects on the run in this case would still be accepted as long as they were submitted to Lingxu City.

Mentioning the Snail Toad meant digging up that unbearable past, which made Qingyang uncomfortable too. But she still said: "You once investigated the Lingxu City messenger case, and Bai Ziqi also trusts your judgment. So in your view, where did that Snail Toad go?"

After the case, she reviewed it and found that almost everyone's focus was on Xi Yunhe, Cen Boqing, and even Cen Boqing's wife, but they had intentionally or unintentionally ignored this Snail Toad.

Such a big monster, and no one cared about its whereabouts?

He Lingchuan thought for a while: "After the case was handed over to Chief Bai, I stopped investigating. Judging from the clues at the time, the Snail Toad should be in Xi Yunhe's hands; they disappeared together."

Good kid, watertight.

He smiled: "If the Regent can find the Snail Toad, perhaps you can capture Xi Yunhe as well, concluding this public case to comfort the souls of the victims in heaven."

He didn't say a single dirty word, but every word was piercing.

This kid was forcing the Snail Toad onto the Elixir of Immortality case, just to use words to push against Qingyang. The latter naturally understood his purpose. So Qingyang also continued his words: "I have indeed found some clues, but state affairs are busy and I cannot get away. Why not leave it to Island Master He to investigate, as always?"

He Lingchuan coughed twice and cleared his throat.

This was a secret signal to Dong Rui through the Eye Spider, asking how he was doing.

Dong Rui's voice was also as thin as a mosquito: "Almost there, don't rush!"

So He Lingchuan continued: "The Regent found it? Where are the Snail Toad and Xi Yunhe hiding?"

Qingyang looked at Zhao Song and the others behind him and shook her head: "How can the major case of Beijia be discussed in public? Three days later, why don't you come to the Ghost Lake Cottage to find me?"

The Soul-Absorbing Mirror said wow: "Truly worthy of Qingyang, grabbing the initiative back in one go."

Qingyang wasn't led astray by He Lingchuan. After all, she couldn't stand firm on the Elixir of Immortality case, which was her biggest stain. So she brought the focus of the topic back to the whereabouts of the Snail Toad.

"Three days later?" He Lingchuan pretended to hesitate for a moment, then refused her, "Hiss—sorry, the eastern expansion project is very busy recently. Three days later, there is a completion ceremony for the government office, and civil and military officials will all be present."

His refusal didn't surprise Qingyang or Zhao Song.

What were Zhao Song and his group sent here for? To prevent Qingyang from attacking He Xiao. Now, how could He Xiao send himself into the tiger's den?

Qingyang said lightly: "No matter. Since you don't have time, when Bai Ziqi returns, let him handle this matter."

This was a threat that only He Lingchuan could understand: Qingyang intended to tell Bai Ziqi all her suspicions about He Xiao, the Snail Toad, and the Great Emperor of Nine Serenities! ===== CHAPTER 1608 =====