Chapter 342: Dingshan Envoy

"Master, are you going out?"

Wang Zhao said to Li Rui, who was wearing his official robes.

Li Rui nodded:

"Yes, an official has come to the guard battalion, and I need to go meet him."

Wang Zhao blinked: "An official?"

His master was the second-highest ranking official in the Anning Guard; there weren't many people Li Rui would refer to simply as "an official."

He couldn't help but be curious:

"Master, what kind of big official is it?"

Li Rui smiled slightly: "A seventh-rank big official."

"???"

Seventh-rank, a big official?

Anning Guard, General's Prefecture.

Li Rui and Cao Wei stood side by side in front of the main gate.

Both were in their official robes.

They were waiting solemnly.

Cao Wei spoke: "Lord Li, why do you think this inspector has come to our Anning Guard?"

"Lord Cao, how would I know that?"

Cao Wei narrowed his eyes: "Do you think it could be about that evil sect?"

"It's not impossible."

Li Rui said indifferently.

The so-called inspector was an official sent from the capital to inspect various regions, with the full title of Inspecting Censor. Although nominally only seventh-rank, they represented the majesty of the imperial court, and even high-ranking local officials usually had to treat them with great hospitality.

"This Inspector Song only arrived in Yunzhou not long ago, and he came to our Qinghe on the second day."

"It's likely eight or nine out of ten."

Cao Wei analyzed.

Nie Siming had sought out Li Rui, and naturally, he had sought out Cao Wei as well, so they both knew that Marquis Yuan had personally inquired about the Purple Chai Jingong matter.

Just as the two were speaking.

Not far away, the sound of galloping hooves rang out.

The two men's expressions sharpened.

Four fine horses appeared before their eyes.

In the lead was a middle-aged man in a dark, practical short-sleeved robe; he didn't look like an official at all, but rather like someone from the Jianghu.

Li Rui and Cao Wei stepped forward:

"Lord Song, you've had a hard journey."

The two bowed in greeting.

It was polite but not overly respectful.

Both were fifth-rank military officers with real power; since this Inspector Song only had high status, politeness was enough, but excessive respect was unnecessary.

They weren't serving as officials for the first time, so naturally, they wouldn't lower their own status casually.

That Inspector Song only glanced at them indifferently:

"Let's go inside and sit first."

After saying this.

He walked into the General's Prefecture first.

Cao Wei looked at Li Rui with a stunned expression.

What was this situation?

Even if an inspector had the power of supervision, he had been an official for over twenty years and had seen many inspectors, but this was the first time he had seen one as arrogant as the one before him.

Li Rui gave a well-intentioned reminder:

"Lord Cao, do not get angry."

"I heard, just heard, that this Lord Song is the nephew of Minister Song of the Ministry of Justice, a prodigy of the Song family, and it seems he is already in the Primordial Realm."

Upon hearing this.

Cao Wei immediately beamed with joy, losing all his temper.

An inspector's rank wasn't high.

But if you added this Lord Song's background, it was outrageously high.

The nephew of a second-rank high official.

If he went to impeach the Yunzhou Department Magistrate, the Magistrate might not be able to handle it.

Cao Wei hurriedly followed him in.

He had served as an official in the capital for many years, so he knew all too well how formidable the Song family was.

Moreover, this Lord Song was also more skilled in Wu Gong than he was, so there was no reason not to be respectful.

Li Rui looked at Cao Wei's back and chuckled.

'Lord Cao's skills have improved again.'

Before long.

The two arrived in the main hall of the General's Prefecture, and Cao Wei hurriedly signaled his subordinates to serve tea and water, showing great enthusiasm.

That Inspector Song spoke in a flat tone: "Alright, let's talk about the main business. What is the situation with that Purple Chai Jingong?"

Cao Wei cursed silently.

It really was about this matter.

But that evil sect was too cunning; to this day, they hadn't obtained any useful information, making it difficult to report back.

Just as he was pondering how to respond.

He heard Li Rui speak: "Lord Song, is Minister Song of the Ministry of Justice doing well?"

Song Shi raised an eyebrow and looked at Li Rui, somewhat surprised:

"You know Song Chu?"

Li Rui: "When I was in the capital, we drank together a few times at Dongbao Residence."

He didn't exaggerate; he just stated the facts.

Hearing the name Song Chu, Song Shi's attitude softened significantly: "You are Li Rui?"

"That is correct."

Li Rui nodded.

That Song Chu was a friend of Lin Hai, and when drunk, Song Chu had once spoken of this cousin, his words full of admiration and closeness.

Li Rui had guessed that their relationship should be quite good.

If Song Shi were a stubborn person and insisted on investigating how the Anning Guard handled the Purple Chai Jingong, he would inevitably cause trouble.

At that time, even with Nie Siming backing them, it would be embarrassing.

Song Shi looked like someone who wasn't easy to deal with.

If he dug to the bottom of this matter, even if Li Rui and Cao Wei had ten mouths, they wouldn't be able to explain it clearly.

The way to solve it wasn't to explain along his lines, but to interrupt.

It was best to use an outside tactic.

At this moment, the effect of building connections in the capital became apparent; after all, for those serving as officials in the capital, if you traced it up, most were relatives. As long as you put in some effort, you could always find a connection. No matter when, climbing through connections was always the fastest way to shorten the distance between people.

Cao Wei saw Song Shi's attitude soften.

He secretly gave Li Rui a thumbs up in his heart.

This wasn't because he wasn't good at managing, but because he had only been a sixth-rank official in the capital, which really wasn't prominent, and he couldn't reach these big families at all.

Song Shi then picked up his teacup and took a sip:

"You go down first; I have some words to say to Lord Li."

"Yes."

Cao Wei nodded.

Then he turned and left, looking at Li Rui with envy as he went. But he wasn't jealous in the slightest.

This was true mastery.

What was called "pure fire and green"?

After Cao Wei left, Song Shi said abruptly: "Is it convenient to talk here?"

Li Rui was startled.

Then he saw Song Shi unobtrusively reveal the jade plaque at his cuff.

His pupils contracted slightly.

Dingshan Envoy!

'This Song Shi is actually a member of the Secret Guard, and a Dingshan Envoy at that.'

He was a Seeking Mountain Envoy, which meant that the Song Shi before him should be considered his superior.

It was just as Commander Yang Bing had said.

(Content omitted)

These Secret Guard members, except for him, didn't have a single person on the surface; they were all hidden in the dark.

Otherwise, how could they be worthy of the word "secret"?

Li Rui's expression was solemn: "My lord, please follow me."

Before long.

The two arrived in a room in the Li Canjun's Prefecture.

After closing the door.

Song Shi then spoke: "I am a Dingshan Envoy of the Secret Guard. A few days ago, I heard Commander Yang say that a newcomer had joined our Secret Guard, and that he was from Yunzhou. I didn't expect it to be you."

Li Rui bowed in greeting:

"This subordinate greets Lord Song."

The Secret Guard had strict hierarchy; the lowest level was naturally his kind of Seeking Mountain Envoy, followed by Dingshan Envoy and Suppressing Mountain Envoy. As for the top-level Commanders, Commandery Envoys, and the Seven Great Guest Elders, they were transcendent existences.

A Seeking Mountain Envoy wasn't qualified to know the list of Dingshan Envoys, but a Dingshan Envoy knew the Seeking Mountain Envoys at the level below them, so they could be called upon at any time.

Song Shi nodded:

"Since you are here, that is for the best."

"My visit to Yunzhou this time is named as an inspection, but in reality, it is to track down a Fallen Immortal."

Li Rui's expression sharpened.

As expected.

The appearance of the Secret Guard was naturally because of a Fallen Immortal.

"That person's movements are strange. I was ordered by the Commander to track them all the way. Today, I heard about the evil sect, and it might be related to this."

"Since you are a Li Canjun of the Anning Guard, it is convenient for you to act. If there is any news, notify me immediately."

Li Rui bowed in greeting: "As you command."

"Very good."

Seeing Li Rui's respectful attitude, Song Shi's mouth curled up slightly, very satisfied.

"Alright, I will be staying at an inn in the city for these days; you can come find me at any time."

After finishing.

He didn't give Li Rui a chance to be polite and walked out with large strides, pushing the door open.

Truly swift and decisive.

Li Rui looked at Song Shi's back, lost in thought.

'It seems the water in this Purple Chai Jingong is even deeper than imagined.'

Unlike Song Shi, who knew there was a Fallen Immortal and still took the initiative to investigate, Li Rui became even more determined not to intervene in this matter.

Gu Changsheng had said it.

The Secret Guard only needed to put in effort, not necessarily take responsibility.

Evening.

Thousand Cranes Martial Hall, small courtyard.

"Why are you here again? This time, it hasn't even been ten days or half a month?"

He Qiannian looked at Li Rui with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

Li Rui didn't show any embarrassment on his face and said with a grin: "Senior, I was thinking that the fish in autumn are fat, so I specially went to Shizi Ditch to catch one. Take a look, how is it?"

In his hand, he was carrying a huge silver carp.

It was truly plump and beautiful.

He Qiannian snorted coldly:

"I suppose you have a heart, kid."

"Sit."

Li Rui familiarly hung the fish on a tree branch nearby; he had already scouted this spot last time he came, and it was the most suitable.

This silver carp was indeed caught by him personally at Shizi Ditch.

He hadn't borrowed anyone else's hand.

For a big figure like He Qiannian who was in the top three ranks, if you sent ordinary elixirs or magic treasures, they wouldn't even look at them.

What mattered was the intention.

What was intention?

Naturally, it meant putting in more effort to show one's sincerity.

He had long since inquired that He Qiannian used to live by the Beiding River outside the capital and loved eating silver carp.

For a dignified Li Canjun of the Anning Guard to go catch fish on a barren mountain outside the city showed great sincerity.

Watching Li Rui sit beside He Qiannian, the two chatted and laughed.

Xiao Yu was so envious.

He had been He Qiannian's disciple for so many years, yet he had never been this intimate.

'I must find this Li Rui and learn from him.'

Little did he know.

What he lacked compared to Li Rui wasn't just intention, but potential.

Which elder wouldn't like a junior who had talent and was also sensible?

Li Rui sat down like a studious student: "Senior, I have been reading your manual day and night for the past few days, and there are many things I don't understand. Could you please give me some pointers?"

He Qiannian seemed to have guessed that Li Rui came here for this purpose and raised his hand casually: "Speak."

"Senior, the Primordial Realm is already about true qi filling the body. Ordinary external techniques are difficult to temper the Primordial flesh. What do you think should be done?"

Hearing Li Rui's words.

He Qiannian's mouth curled up slightly.

He had already guessed this question.

Martial artists in this world were like crucian carp crossing a river, but those who specialized in external techniques were few and far between, especially once they reached the Primordial Realm; at the very least, they were dual cultivators of internal and external.

Why?

It was because true qi was simply too easy to use.

Blindly grinding the flesh was truly laborious and thankless; didn't he see that after practicing external techniques for over a hundred years, he was crushed by Jiang Linxian in a mere few decades?

Why would a genius practice external techniques?

He Qiannian spoke slowly:

"Therefore, I created a technique myself."

"It is called the Great Henglian."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 343 =====