Chapter 82: Big Events in South City

"Layman Meng, I said it long ago, do not let young Layman Meng go out, yet you just wouldn't take it to heart."

The monk-priest beside him shook his head and sighed.

"I am helpless, too. This child is usually quite bright; how could his mind be so muddled as to go out at a time like this?"

Meng Lingyun appeared somewhat sorrowful.

"Is there still any saving this child now?"

In his eyes, Meng Hao was not merely unconscious; he was barely breathing, on the verge of life and death.

"Naturally, there is a way to save him. Young Layman Meng's injuries are because his Luck has been completely absorbed, leaving him with no fortune. However, his bad luck still remains, has invaded his soul, and has led to this situation."

Hearing that there was a way to save him, Meng Lingyun was initially somewhat happy, but upon hearing the following words, his heart went cold. Was it so serious this time that it directly involved his soul?

"I can perform a Secret Technique to repair the injuries to his soul. But I am helpless against that bad luck; I fear that in the future..." The monk-priest shook his head, delivering the answer Meng Lingyun least wanted to hear.

Li Heng was weaving through the streets of Bei'an City.

At this moment, he discovered that the pedestrians on the street were surging toward the South City, muttering that something big had happened over there; clearly, that Flower Boat had already been discovered by the masses.

He couldn't help but shake his head and sigh; joining in the excitement was truly human nature. If he hadn't already finished off the Weird on the Flower Boat, wouldn't so many people running over to watch be an act of courting death?

He arrived at the Inner City along the way.

The defenses of the Inner City remained strict, perhaps even reinforced. Previously, Li Heng had only seen the demon-reflecting mirror. Now, however, he saw array patterns engraved on the Inner City walls, continuous and unending, as if they circled the Inner City to form a great Array.

Li Heng clicked his tongue; the nobles in the Inner City were truly afraid of death.

He didn't believe that a scale of Array like this could exist without the wealthy merchants of the Inner City contributing money and effort. Given the stinginess of the County Government in the past, it would be good enough if they could just protect the County Government office itself.

The Guard was still the same one at the Blood Exchange Realm.

Broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, fierce and menacing, he was the spitting image of Li Kui reborn; just standing there was enough to scare away ordinary demons and Strange Monsters.

His memory was very good, and he quickly recognized Li Heng. Yet, he found it strange; hadn't this Demon Exorcist gone out on a mission? How had he returned in less than half a day?

"This Demon Exorcist, I dare to ask a question. Why have you returned so quickly? Could it be that something has happened?"

This Guard asked very politely.

Reasonably speaking, such things should not be asked, as it involved someone's private affairs. But the orders he had received were to report immediately upon any abnormal situation and to be extra vigilant, regardless of who it was.

This concerned his own livelihood, so he dared not be careless.

Li Heng also saw through his intentions and replied indifferently.

"Naturally, I return once the mission is complete. What, do you expect me to spend the night outside? If you give me silver to spend, then I could go stay a night with those whores."

His words were full of vulgarity.

The Guard was suddenly stunned.

The mission was completed this quickly? Usually, the Demon Exorcists he encountered who went out on missions would take at least a day or two, and some even never returned; how was it that you were so fast?

"What, does your County Government not want to let me in?"

Li Heng smiled without smiling.

"No, no, no, how could that be."

This Guard gave a wry smile and shook his head repeatedly.

He dared not say such things to someone from the Demon Suppression Division.

Although the local Demon Suppression Division and the County Government appeared to be on the same level and side-by-side, because the Demon Suppression Division managed demons and Strange Monsters, they were actually half a level higher.

"Then let's go through the procedure."

"Whether there is anything abnormal, a look in the demon-reflecting mirror will tell."

Having said that, Li Heng stood before the demon-reflecting mirror, and as he was reflected there, the Bronze Ancient Mirror also displayed a figure identical to him.

After finishing the procedure, he couldn't be bothered to pay attention to these Guards.

He intended to walk into the Inner City.

Before leaving, he paused, thought for a moment, and tossed out a sentence. "If you still have concerns, you can send people to the South City to take a look and see what exactly happened."

The Guard frowned as he watched Li Heng's departing back.

"Li Si, you make a trip to the South City. I want to see what big event happened. Zhang San, you return to the County Government and tell Ren County Magistrate about this. In special circumstances, we cannot let a single abnormality slip by!"

He instructed his two subordinates and arranged the matters.

Watching his two subordinates leave, he felt helpless in his heart.

What a thankless job that only offends people!

Not long after, the Guard named Li Si returned, his expression quite shocked. He came before this Guard and spoke solemnly. "Officer Xing, that Self-Immolating Flower Boat in the South City has reappeared. But there are no unclean things there, only a boat full of corpses."

"I even saw the corpse of the missing Constable Guan!"

"What!?"

This Guard surnamed Xing was shocked.

With no heart to admire the scenery of the Inner City, Li Heng went straight back to the Demon Suppression Division, entered through the east gate, and arrived at the mission hall, intending to hand in the mission and get the Merit for this task first.

At the counter, Wang Donglai looked distressed.

The people who came from the main family were truly overbearing. Especially that elder who looked like a little Daoist boy but had an absurdly high seniority; he was extremely difficult to serve, getting angry and smashing things at the slightest provocation.

He even smashed his little Meiniang figurine... and said something about it corrupting the Wang Family's morals? It was simply nonsense!

He kept shouting about some damned little thief and that he must kill him, which left people half-understanding. Yet the head of the family was still fawning over him, full of flattery.

"What, have those relatives of yours annoyed you again?"

Li Heng stood before Wang Donglai, smiling lightly.

"That is... wait, why have you returned again?"

Wang Donglai was somewhat shocked to see Li Heng standing alive before him. "Didn't you accept the mission for that Flower Boat? Why are you back in less than half a day instead of going to kill the Weird?"

"Oh, I understand. You brat must have been scared."

"I knew it. I said long ago that the mission for the Self-Immolating Flower Boat had already claimed the life of one at the True Qi Realm; how could a Bone Refining Realm like you accept it? Giving it up is for the best, to save your life."

Wang Donglai felt gratified; a prodigal who returns is worth more than gold.

He quite appreciated the appearance of this kid Li Heng; if he were to die because of a Weird, it would truly be a pity.

Li Heng chuckled and placed his Demon Exorcist Token on the counter. "I've returned to turn in my mission; record the aura."

"Turn... turn in the mission?!!"

Wang Donglai almost didn't react, but once he pondered the meaning of the three words "turn in mission," he was shocked.

"Hasn't it only been half a day? Even if you have the ability to resolve that Flower Boat Weird, it shouldn't be this fast."

He was a bit dazed, as it was his first time seeing such a thing.

"Won't you know if you just record it? If you still don't believe me, you can go to South City and see if it's finished or not."

Hearing this, Wang Donglai checked the Token with half-belief. Immediately, his pupils constricted; there were indeed many Weird auras within this Token, as if the mission had truly been completed...

He fell silent, and after a while, he spoke again.

"This kind of mission belongs to a major event; I must go to South City to verify it. Keep the Token with me for now; once I confirm it, I will add the Merit."

Li Heng nodded; this was indeed the normal procedure.

"Alright, then I'll head back first."

He didn't drag things out and left gracefully.

The Demon Exorcists waiting nearby to turn in their missions couldn't help but feel suspicious and gathered around one after another.

"Old Wang, what exactly happened just now..."

"What is this kid's background..."

Wang Donglai ignored these small fry, left the counter directly, and dropped a sentence, "You all queue up for now, or go register with someone else," before rushing straight toward South City.

Wandering through the Demon Suppression Division, Li Heng thought for a moment and planned to go see Meng Lingyun. He was very concerned about the so-called Sunset Organization; as the Demon Suppression Division Chief, the old man Meng might know something.

Arriving at Meng Lingyun's residence, Li Heng had a strange expression. Why was he turned away again this time? Why was the old man Meng always not at home during this period? Wasn't he supposed to be here processing case files?

Could he have run off to slack off?

Or could it be... don't tell me that kid Meng Hao is in trouble again?

He planned to take a detour and go to Bai Si Hall to take a look.

Soon, he arrived at Bai Si Hall.

Li Heng looked over and revealed a look of "as expected." Good grief, that kid Meng Hao was in trouble again, lying on the bed.

He walked up, "Xiao Meng is in trouble again? Then he is truly unlucky, but this time it looks a bit serious."

"Li Heng, why did you come back, kid? Didn't you go to complete the Flower Boat Weird mission?" Meng Lingyun asked in surprise.

"I returned, naturally, because I finished it."

Li Heng shrugged and said easily.

This was indeed very easy; as long as it wasn't some Half-step Innate or Innate Level Great Grandmaster, it was hard to put pressure on him.

Meng Lingyun was stunned, then revealed a bitter smile.

"You kid is indeed very strong. I already tried my best to overestimate you, but I didn't expect I still underestimated you. I, the old man, even suspect that you are now stronger than me!"

"That's excessive; you're trying to kill me with praise, aren't you?" Li Heng chuckled.

"Amitabha, Infinite Heavenly Venerable. Layman Meng is right. Layman Li, you are indeed very strong, even somewhat beyond my expectations."

The monk-priest also had some emotional shifts and sighed.

However, the more he said this, the more Meng Lingyun felt heartbroken. He had made the wrong choice back then; one misstep caused eternal regret. Originally, even if it was just a simple wrong choice, it would be nothing; he had the confidence to bear it.

But now, his confidence had been wasted like this...

Casting his gaze toward the sleeping Meng Hao, Meng Lingyun felt helpless.

"How is Xiao Meng's injury?"

Li Heng asked casually.

Meng Lingyun was silent, but the monk-priest kindly helped him answer. "Young Layman Meng had his Luck drained, and baleful energy entered his soul, leading to damage to his spirit. Although he can wake up, he may stop here."

Hearing this, Li Heng was shocked, "So ruthless, who did it?"

"I don't know this either. But according to pedestrians who witnessed it on the street, it seems to have been a little Daoist boy."

Meng Lingyun answered somewhat gloomily.

Actually, it was a bit shameful; Meng Hao was an adult and a genius with Luck, yet he was manipulated like this by a mere little Daoist boy.

"A little Daoist boy? Then I probably know who it is."

"Who!" Meng Lingyun blurted out instantly.

"The noble families." Li Heng said indifferently.