Chapter 68: The Baseness of the Jianghu

Among those white-clad figures, the leader was a young man who looked at Li Lin with keen interest and asked, "Are you here to help the Shunfu Escort Bureau?"

Li Lin shook his head.

At that moment, Lin Qiyu shouted from the side, "Patrol Commissioner Li, don't be afraid of them. Our escort chief will be back very soon. Tianyi Gate is nothing to worry about — you just need to help us hold out for a while."

Li Lin's gaze swept over coldly.

The young man opposite continued, "How can you prove you're not here to lend a hand?"

"No need to prove anything. I'll just leave."

"Then please!" The young man stepped aside and made a gesture.

Li Lin did not walk in the direction he pointed, but slowly backed away instead.

Su Huafang had once said that when a conflict arose with someone, even if they appeared to let you go on the surface, the danger was that they might ambush you the moment you turned your back.

Li Lin remembered it well.

Until Li Lin had retreated out of safe range, the young man opposite never made a move.

Seeing Li Lin about to leave, the young man cupped his fist and said, "My friend, please understand — this is a grudge between our Tianyi Gate and the Shunfu Escort Bureau. Thank you for giving Tianyi Gate face."

Li Lin called back from a distance, "I was never here to lend a hand in the first place."

"No matter. Whether you were or not, Tianyi Gate owes you one." The young man went on with a smile, "If we meet again another day, I'll certainly treat you to fine wine."

Li Lin cupped his fist from afar, turned, and left.

Then he heard the young man's voice faintly from behind: Lin Qiyu, you're as despicable as ever…

Li Lin left this street corner, intending to take a longer route around.

Jincheng was very large, and taking the long way cost quite a bit of time. Nearly an hour later, he arrived at the door of the Craftsman Bureau.

Two government office runners stood outside the gate. Li Lin stated his business, and soon a middle-aged craftsman came out to receive him.

Ordinary people could not directly commission items at the Craftsman Bureau, but a Spirit Hunter was an "official" with a proper appointment, and could make purchases there.

"I'd like a pill furnace. It doesn't need to be big — about the size of a small pot will do."

Hearing this request, the middle-aged craftsman laughed and said, "If it's a large pill furnace, we'd have to custom-make it, but for small ones, we have plenty of trial pieces here. Would this Patrol Commissioner like to come take a look?"

"Sure."

Li Lin picked out a small lotus-shaped pill furnace, about the size of a small pot, paid five taels of silver, and walked out of the Craftsman Bureau's main gate with it — only to unexpectedly run into an acquaintance.

"Patrol Commissioner Li, you're in Jincheng too?" Zhao Hao was somewhat surprised.

Li Lin nodded and said, "Senior Su invited me to run escort jobs, earn a bit of silver to spend."

"Then you're here for…" Zhao Hao's gaze fell on Li Lin's pill furnace. "What you study really is a mishmash."

"Nothing special." Li Lin smiled.

"All right, I've got some business inside to take care of." Zhao Hao smiled. "Come find me at the government office tomorrow. I'll show you around properly here — no matter what, I count as half a Jincheng local."

"I won't trouble you. I'd rather wander around on my own."

Zhao Hao was briefly taken aback, then seemed to "understand." "Oh, I see. Then yes, you do need to look around on your own. Remember to have them give you a red envelope."

Li Lin helplessly rolled his eyes.

Zhao Hao burst out laughing and went into the Craftsman Bureau.

Li Lin first returned to the inn, put the pill furnace away properly, then went out again to stroll the streets.

He watched street performances — chest-smashing boulders, fire-breathing, scooping coins from a cauldron of oil — and ate plenty of small bites. Only when he felt quite full did he return to the inn and prepare to sleep.

Just then, someone slammed hard on the door.

He instinctively grabbed the red-tasseled spear hanging nearby and asked, "Who's there?"

"It's me, Zhao Hao."

Li Lin opened the door and saw Zhao Hao standing outside, an expression of urgency on his face.

"How did you know I was staying here…"

"Urgent matter. We'll talk as we walk."

"Wait." Li Lin went back, took a stack of paper figures and a few Breath-Sustaining Pills from his bundle, tucked them into his clothes, then walked to the door and said, "Let's go."

Zhao Hao led the way in front, taking large strides. "I came to Jincheng because my uncle was going to introduce me to a certain noble. But that noble disappeared not long ago."

The look of urgency on his face was obvious.

Li Lin did recall — not long ago Huang Qi had mentioned that the noble gentleman Zhu Laosan was coming to Jincheng.

And Zhao Hao's uncle seemed to be the Registrar of Jincheng, so the noble he was to meet must be Zhu Laosan?

Zhu Laosan had disappeared?

This was a serious matter.

Zhao Hao went on, "As for how I knew you were at the inn — it's because this place is full of local busybodies. Finding a person here is easy."

"But you can't find that noble?"

"Because this matter might involve a Guai!" Zhao Hao said helplessly.

Li Lin instinctively looked up at the faintly visible Dharma Image in the sky.

Zhao Hao knew what he was thinking and continued, "Taowu Zhenjun doesn't really concern himself with mortal affairs. He only watches the big picture. Unless he actually sees a Guai running wild right before his eyes, he won't bother."

The two soon arrived before the government office. The government office runners at the gate recognized Zhao Hao and let them straight in.

Entering the main hall of the government office, they saw a large crowd gathered there.

Martial artists and Spirit Hunters alike — at a glance, more than thirty people.

Li Lin even spotted Su Huafang, Bai Zhiwei, and Bai Bufan among them.

They had also seen Li Lin and Zhao Hao, and beckoned them over.

The two walked over. Su Huafang said helplessly, "Never expected it. I thought coming here was just to earn money and have a bit of fun for two or three days, and now we've gotten mixed up in this mess."

Li Lin asked, "You've guessed what this is about too?"

"More or less know a bit."

While the two were speaking, a middle-aged man dressed in cloud-and-goose-patterned robes emerged from behind the screen.

Everyone clasped their hands in salute and shouted in unison, "Prefect!"

Li Lin also clasped his hands and bowed.

The official on the courtroom dais was named Fang Hua, a fourth-rank civil official, the Prefect of Jincheng.

"A noble person has gone missing in this city, suspected to be the work of an Apparition." Fang Hua did not sit; instead, he stood rigidly, his face very grim: "You are all clerks under my jurisdiction in Jincheng. From this moment on, you must find the person within three days, or else... my official post will not be safe, and you shall not fare well either."

Having spoken, Fang Hua flicked his sleeve and strode away.

On the martial side, a man dressed in black tiger-patterned robes, with a blade at his waist, strode forward: "Everyone, martial artists cannot resolve matters of Apparitions. I will lead men to seal the city gates and search for suspicious persons; the rest is left to you."

Among the Soul Hunters of Jincheng, a man of about thirty-something clasped his hands and said, "Troublesome for you, Inspector Huang."

Immediately after, the middle-aged man led his subordinates away, departing in haste.

Those remaining were all Soul Hunters.

This young man turned and said, "As the Judge, I shall temporarily take command. Does anyone have objections?"

Naturally, there were none.

The Judge is at least a seventh-rank official, so naturally he possesses this authority.

Seeing no one speak up, the young man continued, "Time waits for no one. Those who know the art of finding people, please step forward."

On the Jincheng side, six people immediately stood up.

Li Lin thought for a moment, then also stepped out.

The young man looked at Li Lin with some surprise, then said, "I do not care what methods you use; begin casting spells immediately to find the noble person. Even if the methods are somewhat unsightly, it does not matter."

Immediately, those six each displayed their supernatural arts.

Some began chanting incantations while dancing as shamans.

Some took out small incense altars and lit incense.

Some began sitting cross-legged, rolling their eyes white.

Each had their own unique skill.

Only Li Lin remained motionless.

The young man looked over and asked, "Friend from Yulin County, what difficulty do you face? Why have you not yet begun the ritual to find the person?"

Li Lin smiled awkwardly: "I do not know what the noble person looks like..."

(End of this chapter)