Chapter 169: One Against a Hundred

Watching the strange man crouch down with his head in his hands, Xiao Chunzhu exhaled in relief.

Because he realized the opponent was extremely powerful, with formidable hard qigong.

If they truly fought, he would be at a disadvantage.

Yet now, the opponent had surrendered without hesitation.

Xiao Chunzhu looked at the village soldiers surging toward him and felt an inexplicable sense of security.

As a man of the Jianghu, he had once feared the sight of soldiers appearing before him.

It meant impending oppression.

But now, he was one of the imperial troops himself, watching hundreds easily surround a master-level cultivator who dared not resist, and a strange sense of satisfaction rose within him.

So this is what it feels like to overwhelm the weak with numbers and crush them with power.

“What’s your name?” Xiao Chunzhu asked the crouching strange man.

“This humble monk’s dharma name is Lianhua.”

“Were you the one who drained the blood and qi of those people in this city?”

“No.”

“Lying. If not a ghost, who else but your Dizang Fomen could do such a thing?”

The man lifted his head; the gray pallor in his eyes grew more pronounced: “It truly wasn’t this humble monk… I came here because of this very matter.”

“So you know who did it!”

“Yes…”

“Don’t tell me.” Xiao Chunzhu cut him off: “If you have something to say, tell our Assistant County Magistrate.”

…

When Li Lin received the news, he was stacking tiles on the roof with two women.

He washed his hands, changed into his official robes, and went to the county office.

Xiao Chunzhu was already waiting there.

“Assistant County Magistrate!” He hurried over and bowed.

Li Lin nodded: “You found a lead so quickly—you’ve worked hard.”

“Thank you, Assistant County Magistrate.”

Li Lin entered the jail and saw the disheveled man sitting cross-legged on the ground.

“Who are you?” Li Lin walked over and asked.

“This humble monk is Lianhua.”

Li Lin frowned: “I’ve heard of a monk named Lianxing.”

“That’s my senior brother!” The man was astonished: “How do you know him?”

“I don’t know him. I’ve only heard his name.” Li Lin studied the man and asked: “Why are you here? What’s your connection to the previous murders?”

Lianhua sighed, stood up, and clasped his hands: “Family shame should not be aired publicly, but since you are the county’s parent-official, I will speak plainly: the killer is my junior brother.”

“Your junior brother? Not you?” Li Lin raised an eyebrow.

Lianhua shook his head slightly: “Not me. I cultivate external qigong; the Dizang techniques are better suited to my senior brother and junior brother.”

“Then why are you here?”

“To cleanse the sect.”

Li Lin raised an eyebrow and said to Xiao Chunzhu beside him: “Continue leading patrols outside… until you find the other one.”

Lianhua looked at Li Lin and said: “If you find my junior brother, please let me out—I can assist you.”

“We’ll see.”

Li Lin left the jail and was stopped by Jiang Jili.

“Assistant County Magistrate Li, I heard a new County Magistrate has already been chosen.”

“So soon?”

“Since we’re next to Yue Commandery, many matters are prioritized.”

Li Lin asked: “Do you know who it is?”

“I don’t know, but I heard something.” Jiang Jili paused, then said: “The Fang family is arranging a marriage with the Huang family.”

Li Lin nodded slightly: “I know about that.”

Fang Fengyi and Huang Ling.

He had been targeted by Fang Fengyi during his last visit to Jincheng.

“The Fang family…” Jiang Jili’s voice grew low: “is no good. Nor is the Huang family. Their alliance won’t be good for you.”

Li Lin smiled: “Thank you for the warning, Assistant Prefect.”

Seeing Li Lin’s calm expression, Jiang Jili said nothing more, bowed, and left.

Li Lin knew well that the Huang and Fang families’ marriage was for political gain.

But what did it have to do with him?

Li Lin turned and went home, resuming tile-laying on the roof.

Once the outer disguise of the house was finished, next came laying spirit stones.

Another day passed, and Li Lin and the two women finished tiling the small house.

The three of them gazed at the tiny black-tiled, yellow-walled cottage, feeling satisfaction from their labor.

At that moment, Xiao Chunzhu sent a government office runner to report: they had found the killer.

They were currently surrounding him.

Li Lin picked up his red-tassled spear and rushed over immediately.

Fireworks occasionally flashed across the sky—signals from the village soldiers.

Li Lin glanced up, leapt onto the rooftops, and headed toward Chengnan.

His lightness technique was well-practiced; he arrived at the scene in no time.

At least a hundred village soldiers and thirty government office runners had gathered there.

Xiao Chunzhu was present too.

But Xiao Chunzhu’s expression was grim.

Opposite him stood a gaunt, bony man.

He wore no shirt, only a tattered short-pants garment.

His body was caked in filthy black grease; his face… was obscured by long, wild, grass-like hair.

Even his eyes were hidden.

Li Lin landed on the rooftop using his lightness technique.

His appearance immediately drew everyone’s attention.

Several government office runners hurried toward him and formed a protective circle.

Xiao Chunzhu stepped beside Li Lin, panting: “Assistant County Magistrate, this man is extremely dangerous—very troublesome.”

Li Lin looked around and saw several government office runners lying in pools of blood, and many village soldiers likewise.

“This is Lianhua’s junior brother?”

“Probably!” Xiao Chunzhu said: “Should we let Lianhua out? He said he wants to cleanse the sect—he could help.”

“Don’t be foolish—do you believe everything he says?” Li Lin snorted.

Then a company commander ordered shield-and-sword troops forward; though the gaunt man was thin, his resilience was terrifying.

Dozens of broadswords slashed down—he merely stepped back slightly, then swung his arms hard, sending over a dozen shield-and-sword troops flying.

Archers on higher ground shot arrows… the man shielded his eyes with one hand; arrows struck his body but bounced off.

Xiao Chunzhu charged forward, his long sword splitting into two, flashing wildly—only to retreat after a rapid series of clinking sounds.

“This man’s hard qigong is formidable…” Xiao Chunzhu said helplessly.

At that moment, a company commander ordered village soldiers on high ground to leap down with hooked copper nets, trapping the gaunt man; just as they tried to pull him down, the man strained with a grating, metallic screech—and tore the copper net apart.

Then the gaunt man took two steps forward, grabbed a village soldier, and clamped one hand over the man’s head.

The soldier’s eyes rolled back, his face rapidly turning blue—as if something was being drained away.

At that instant, a dozen long spears thrust out simultaneously, pinning the gaunt man and forcing him back.

Two more spears aimed for his eyes.

To protect his eyes, the gaunt man had no choice but to cover them with both hands, releasing the seized soldier.

The soldier scrambled back into the formation.

Li Lin watched for a moment and said: “Xiao Chunzhu, protect me with all your strength when the time comes—understood?”

Xiao Chunzhu nodded frantically: “Yes!”

(End of Chapter)