[{"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-68":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},2264668,4420,"Chapter 68: The Degradation of the Jianghu","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-68",68,"\u003Cp>Among the white martial attire, the leader was a young man who regarded Li Lin with interest and asked, “Are you here to aid Shunfu Escort Agency?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Lin Qiyu called out from the side, “Li Xunshou, don’t fear them—my boss will return soon; Tianyi Sect is no threat. You only need to hold them off for a while.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin cast a cold glance in his direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man across from him continued, “How do you prove you’re not here to lend support?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No proof needed—I’ll just leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then please,” the young man stepped aside and gestured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin did not walk in the direction he indicated; instead, he slowly retreated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Huafang had once said that when in conflict, others may pretend to let you go, but they might strike the moment you turn your back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin remembered it well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until Li Lin had withdrawn beyond the safe range, the young man across from him made no move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Lin depart, the young man bowed and said, “Brother, forgive us—this is a matter of grievance between Tianyi Sect and Shunfu Escort Agency. Thank you for showing Tianyi Sect respect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin called from afar, “I never came to lend support.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter. Whether you did or not, Tianyi Sect owes you a favor,” the young man continued smiling. “If we meet again, I’ll treat you to fine wine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin bowed from afar, then turned and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he heard a faint voice from behind: Lin Qiyu, you’re as despicable as ever…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin left the intersection and decided to take a longer route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jincheng was large; taking a detour took considerable time. Nearly half an hour later, he arrived at the Artificer Bureau’s gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two government office runners stood outside. Li Lin stated his purpose, and soon a middle-aged artisan received him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinary people could not directly order items from the Artificer Bureau, but Xunling were ‘officials’ with official status and could purchase here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I want a pill furnace—not large, about the size of a small pot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the middle-aged artisan chuckled, “For a large pill furnace, we’d need to custom-make it, but for a small one, we have many trial models. Would you like to take a look, Xunshou?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin selected a small lotus-shaped pill furnace, about the size of a small pot, paid five silver taels, and carried it out the Artificer Bureau’s gate—only to find himself facing an acquaintance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Xunshou, you’ve come to Jincheng too?” Zhao Hao looked surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin nodded. “Senior Su invited me to assist with a job—earn a bit of silver.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why are you here…” Zhao Hao’s gaze fell on Li Lin’s pill furnace: “Your studies are remarkably diverse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just average,” Li Lin smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, I’ve got something to attend to inside,” Zhao Hao grinned. “Come find me at the government office tomorrow—I’ll show you around. After all, I’m half a Jincheng native.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need to trouble you—I’d rather wander freely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao paused, then “understood.” “Oh, I get it—you really should explore on your own. Remember to get red envelopes from them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin rolled his eyes in exasperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao burst into loud laughter and stepped into the Artificer Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin returned to the inn first, placed the pill furnace down, then went out to stroll again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He watched acrobatics, chest-breaking stones, fire-spitting, and coins fished from oil vats. He ate many snacks until his stomach was full, then returned to the inn to sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, someone slammed on the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He instinctively grabbed the red tassel spear hanging nearby and asked, “Who is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s me, Zhao Hao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin opened the door to find Zhao Hao standing outside, his face tense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did you know I’m staying here…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Emergency. Let’s talk as we walk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait.” Li Lin went back, took a stack of paper charms and several Shengxi Pills from his satchel, tucked them into his clothes, then stepped outside and said, “Go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao led the way, striding quickly: “I came to Jincheng because my uncle-by-marriage wanted to introduce me to a noble person—but that noble person vanished recently.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face showed clear anxiety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin suddenly remembered: not long ago, Huang Qi had mentioned that the upright scholar Zhu Laosan was coming to Jincheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Zhao Hao’s uncle-by-marriage was the Assistant Prefect of Jincheng—so the noble person he meant to meet was Zhu Laosan?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Laosan had vanished?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a major matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao continued, “As for how I knew you were at the inn—this place is full of local riffraff; finding someone is easy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yet you can’t find the noble person?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because this matter may involve a Gui,” Zhao Hao said helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin instinctively looked up at the faint divine image in the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao understood his thought and added, “The True Lord doesn’t meddle in mortal affairs—they only oversee the grand scheme. Unless they actually see a Gui right before their eyes, they won’t intervene.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two soon arrived before the government office. The gate guards recognized Zhao Hao and let them in immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the government office’s main hall, a large crowd had gathered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both martial artists and Xunling were present—over thirty in total.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin even spotted Su Huafang, Bai Zhiwei, and Bai Bu Fan among them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They saw Li Lin and Zhao Hao and waved them over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two walked over. Su Huafang sighed, “Never expected—thought we’d come to earn silver and enjoy a few days, but now we’ve gotten tangled in this mess.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin asked, “Have you guessed what this is about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We know a little.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke, a middle-aged man in cloud-and-goose-patterned robes stepped from behind the screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone bowed and chorused, “Your Excellency.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin bowed and lowered his head as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The official on the dais was Fang Hua, a fourth-rank civil officer and Prefect of Jincheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A noble person has vanished in this city, suspected to be the work of a Gui,” Fang Hua stood rigid, his face grim: “You are all my subordinates under Jincheng’s jurisdiction. From this moment, you must find the person within three days—or I lose my post, and none of you will escape punishment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Fang Hua swept his sleeve and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the martial artists, a man in black-banded robes, sword at his waist, strode forward: “Gentlemen, martial artists cannot resolve Gui matters. I’ll lead men to seal the city gates and search for suspicious individuals. The rest is yours.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the Jincheng Xunling, a man around thirty bowed and said, “Thank you, Huang Jianxiao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged man immediately led his men away, hurrying off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those left were all Xunling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man turned and said, “As a Tui Guan, I’ll temporarily assume command. Any objections?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, none.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Tui Guan was a seventh-rank official—he had the authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing no one speak, the young man continued, “Time waits for no one. Those who know methods to locate a person, step forward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, six men from Jincheng stepped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin thought for a moment, then stepped forward too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man glanced at Li Lin in surprise, then said, “I don’t care how you do it—start your techniques now. Even if your methods are crude, it doesn’t matter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The six men immediately displayed their skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some began chanting spells while dancing wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others pulled out small incense urns and lit incense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some sat cross-legged, rolling their eyes white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each had their own specialty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Li Lin remained motionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man looked over and asked, “Friend from Yulin County, what trouble do you have? Why haven’t you begun your technique to find the noble person?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin smiled awkwardly: “I don’t know what the noble person looks like…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1306,"2026-06-19T19:39:18.782Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","8e2dedaa48566dc28c15113ed137ded1aa38abc4c67bd775fa43ed9e8e660141","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-69","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-67",221,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdark-and-dawn-light-years-cover.jpg"]