[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-dark-and-dawn-light-years":3,"chapter-dark-and-dawn-light-years-dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-169":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Dark and Dawn Light-Years",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2264769,4420,"Chapter 169: One Against a Hundred","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-169",169,"\u003Cp>Watching the strange man crouch down with his head in his hands, Xiao Chunzhu exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he realized the opponent was extremely powerful, with formidable hard qigong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they truly fought, he would be at a disadvantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, the opponent had surrendered without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Chunzhu looked at the village soldiers surging toward him and felt an inexplicable sense of security.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a man of the Jianghu, he had once feared the sight of soldiers appearing before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It meant impending oppression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So this is what it feels like to overwhelm the weak with numbers and crush them with power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s your name?” Xiao Chunzhu asked the crouching strange man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This humble monk’s dharma name is Lianhua.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Were you the one who drained the blood and qi of those people in this city?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lying. If not a ghost, who else but your Dizang Fomen could do such a thing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you know who did it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t tell me.” Xiao Chunzhu cut him off: “If you have something to say, tell our Assistant County Magistrate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Li Lin received the news, he was stacking tiles on the roof with two women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He washed his hands, changed into his official robes, and went to the county office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Chunzhu was already waiting there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Assistant County Magistrate!” He hurried over and bowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin nodded: “You found a lead so quickly—you’ve worked hard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Assistant County Magistrate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin entered the jail and saw the disheveled man sitting cross-legged on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you?” Li Lin walked over and asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This humble monk is Lianhua.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin frowned: “I’ve heard of a monk named Lianxing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s my senior brother!” The man was astonished: “How do you know him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“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?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your junior brother? Not you?” Li Lin raised an eyebrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lianhua shook his head slightly: “Not me. I cultivate external qigong; the Dizang techniques are better suited to my senior brother and junior brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why are you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To cleanse the sect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin raised an eyebrow and said to Xiao Chunzhu beside him: “Continue leading patrols outside… until you find the other one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lianhua looked at Li Lin and said: “If you find my junior brother, please let me out—I can assist you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin left the jail and was stopped by Jiang Jili.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Assistant County Magistrate Li, I heard a new County Magistrate has already been chosen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So soon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since we’re next to Yue Commandery, many matters are prioritized.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin asked: “Do you know who it is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know, but I heard something.” Jiang Jili paused, then said: “The Fang family is arranging a marriage with the Huang family.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin nodded slightly: “I know about that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Fengyi and Huang Ling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been targeted by Fang Fengyi during his last visit to Jincheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin smiled: “Thank you for the warning, Assistant Prefect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Lin’s calm expression, Jiang Jili said nothing more, bowed, and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin knew well that the Huang and Fang families’ marriage was for political gain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what did it have to do with him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin turned and went home, resuming tile-laying on the roof.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the outer disguise of the house was finished, next came laying spirit stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another day passed, and Li Lin and the two women finished tiling the small house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three of them gazed at the tiny black-tiled, yellow-walled cottage, feeling satisfaction from their labor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Xiao Chunzhu sent a government office runner to report: they had found the killer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were currently surrounding him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin picked up his red-tassled spear and rushed over immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fireworks occasionally flashed across the sky—signals from the village soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin glanced up, leapt onto the rooftops, and headed toward Chengnan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His lightness technique was well-practiced; he arrived at the scene in no time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least a hundred village soldiers and thirty government office runners had gathered there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Chunzhu was present too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xiao Chunzhu’s expression was grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opposite him stood a gaunt, bony man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wore no shirt, only a tattered short-pants garment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body was caked in filthy black grease; his face… was obscured by long, wild, grass-like hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even his eyes were hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin landed on the rooftop using his lightness technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His appearance immediately drew everyone’s attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several government office runners hurried toward him and formed a protective circle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Chunzhu stepped beside Li Lin, panting: “Assistant County Magistrate, this man is extremely dangerous—very troublesome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin looked around and saw several government office runners lying in pools of blood, and many village soldiers likewise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is Lianhua’s junior brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Probably!” Xiao Chunzhu said: “Should we let Lianhua out? He said he wants to cleanse the sect—he could help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t be foolish—do you believe everything he says?” Li Lin snorted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then a company commander ordered shield-and-sword troops forward; though the gaunt man was thin, his resilience was terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of broadswords slashed down—he merely stepped back slightly, then swung his arms hard, sending over a dozen shield-and-sword troops flying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Archers on higher ground shot arrows… the man shielded his eyes with one hand; arrows struck his body but bounced off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Chunzhu charged forward, his long sword splitting into two, flashing wildly—only to retreat after a rapid series of clinking sounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This man’s hard qigong is formidable…” Xiao Chunzhu said helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the gaunt man took two steps forward, grabbed a village soldier, and clamped one hand over the man’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier’s eyes rolled back, his face rapidly turning blue—as if something was being drained away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that instant, a dozen long spears thrust out simultaneously, pinning the gaunt man and forcing him back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two more spears aimed for his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To protect his eyes, the gaunt man had no choice but to cover them with both hands, releasing the seized soldier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier scrambled back into the formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin watched for a moment and said: “Xiao Chunzhu, protect me with all your strength when the time comes—understood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Chunzhu nodded frantically: “Yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1200,"2026-06-19T19:39:18.782Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","8067bf085c8143f21d55835fee575cbc9d7c57f150837275204316ed25304663","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-170","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-168",221,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdark-and-dawn-light-years-cover.jpg"]