Chapter 149: Following One's Heart, Divine Means

Following Zhao Shuhua's account, Lu Yuan roughly understood the plight of this group.

It turned out the Iron-Blooded National Salvation Society was active in many Coastal areas, with its headquarters established in Modu.

However, in recent days, a high-ranking member of their Modu headquarters who held vital information was secretly captured and turned by the Jin Dynasty, and subsequently betrayed a large amount of intelligence, including the contact list for the Jinjin branch.

Upon receiving such significant intelligence and reporting it up the chain of command, the Zhili Governor Nayancheng, who oversaw both Modu and Jinjin, was overjoyed and immediately came to Jinjin in secret to personally supervise the case.

This man did not call upon the local government troops, who had long been infiltrated by the Iron-Blooded National Salvation Society, but instead mobilized elite experts from the Jingwu Office. Through secret investigation, they successfully rounded up the members of the Jinjin branch in one fell swoop last night.

It was only because Zhao Shuhua, as the branch president, was usually vigilant and had a secret passage in his hiding place, coupled with the fact that the bodyguard by his side was a Fifth Realm Martial Artist, that he managed to escape by a hair's breadth.

As for the other members, most of them have likely already been captured by the Jingwu Office; the entire Jinjin branch can be said to have fallen apart overnight.

"Nayancheng."

Lu Yuan did not press for details, but slowly said:

"If a matter is not kept secret, one loses their life; it is inevitable that a few scoundrels will appear in any organization."

"Since you have fled to me, it is a matter of fate. The two of you should first rest here in peace and recover from your injuries; there is no need to worry about the government troops pursuing you."

"This, this is probably not appropriate, is it?"

Zhao Shuhua was both moved, ashamed, and hesitant:

"Previously, you funded us with fifty thousand Silver Yuan, and we have yet to achieve any results after taking this money; we have already failed your expectations."

"Now the Jingwu Office is searching for us everywhere, and the two of us have gunshot wounds and have left bloodstains; there is no guarantee they won't find their way here. If we keep staying here, it is very likely we will bring trouble to the hall."

Before he could finish speaking, a sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the room.

Chen Zhantang immediately went out ahead, and then, seemingly having finished listening to a disciple's report, returned to the room with a grave expression and whispered:

"Gate Master, something has happened; people from the Jingwu Office have found their way here from outside!"

"The leader is the Jingwu Office Chief Bagehai. This man has brought a team of subordinates to wait in the venue, saying they found bloodstains near the hall and suspect fugitives have hidden here, hoping we will cooperate with the arrest and search!"

"Oh no!"

Zhao Shuhua was suddenly anxious and, ignoring the sharp pain in his abdomen, sat up:

"Hall Master Lu, is there a back door here? I will go out first to attract the attention of those hounds; I only ask that you look after my bodyguard and protect his safety. If I do not die today, Zhao Shuhua will serve you like a beast of burden to repay you!"

"What is the rush?"

Lu Yuan laughed aloud:

"Just lie down in peace. Without my permission, no one is to think of taking anyone away from here. Lin Sheng, you stay here and look after them well!"

As he spoke, he rose and went out, with Chen Zhantang and Peng Yidao quickly following. Zhao Shuhua, on the bed, was anxious and wanted to say something more, but was stopped by Lin Sheng, who smiled:

"Alright, just lie here peacefully. What kind of person is the Hall Master? A mere Jingwu Office Chief, what qualifications does he have to act wantonly here?"

Zhao Shuhua still did not want to implicate Guangwu Hall and said urgently: "This matter is no small thing. That Bagehai has received direct orders from Nayancheng; it is impossible for him to let it go."

Lin Sheng interrupted dismissively:

"Neither Bagehai nor Nayancheng will be of any use. Hurry up and lie down to rest!"

Although the Jinjin Jingwu Office was said to be full of experts, and Bagehai, as the Chief, was inevitably a Sixth Realm Martial Arts Master, his actual status was completely incomparable to the Niangan Office or the Great Jin state religion, the Shaman God Sect.

Not long ago, even the Great Governor of the Niangan Office and a Great Shaman of the Shaman God Sect died at the hands of Lu Yuan, this Hall Master. Even now, the imperial court was playing dumb and dared not make any response; what did a mere Jingwu Office or a Zhili Governor count for?

Of course, he did not say these words to Zhao Shuhua.

And at the same time.

Lu Yuan had already led Chen Zhantang and several other disciples through the corridors and courtyards, stepping into the venue from the back door.

At this moment, it was not yet dawn, and the venue was empty. In the dim candlelight, a team of Jingwu Office officers was already waiting.

The leader was a middle-aged man over forty, burly, and dressed in a black dragon-patterned uniform.

He wore the standard money-rat tail braid, his appearance was clearly that of a Golden Clan person, and he looked like someone who had long held a high position. When he saw Lu Yuan walk out, he immediately smiled and stepped forward, cupping his hands in greeting:

"May I ask if you are Hall Master Lu Yuan? I am Bagehai, Chief of the Jingwu Office. Please forgive me for the abrupt intrusion in order to pursue suspects."

Jinjin was an important city in Zhili, and Bagehai, as a Chief, was a third-rank military official and a Banner Person of the Upper Three Banners; his status was extraordinary, and he did not need to be obsequious even when facing a Governor.

However, Lu Yuan had become famous in one battle and was now a legendary Grandmaster who shook the world; his own status naturally did not count for much, and he needed to be respectful.

This was also the reason why he did not directly break into Guangwu Hall to search, but instead announced his intentions first.

Lu Yuan scanned the man and went straight to the point:

"The person you want to catch, is it Zhao Shuhua?"

Bagehai felt surprised and immediately asked:

"Did these rebels really panic and flee here to disturb Hall Master Lu? This person is an important figure in the Iron-Blooded National Salvation Society and a traitor to the country personally named by the Old Buddha. Please, Hall Master Lu, you must hand this person over to me!"

Lu Yuan smiled slightly: "This person is indeed with me, but I cannot hand him over to you."

Hm?

Bagehai's gaze suddenly sharpened:

"Hall Master Lu, what do you mean?"

Lu Yuan stood with his hands behind his back and said indifferently:

"It is very simple. I have had contact with these people; most of them are hot-blooded youths and benevolent people who worry about the country and the people, and are beneficial to the country and the people. If I hadn't seen them, that would be one thing, but since I have seen them, I naturally will not sit idly by and watch them be slaughtered, so I am going to protect them."

What!?

Lu Yuan was understated, but his tone revealed arrogance and treason. Bagehai almost thought his ears had deceived him and shouted in disbelief:

"Hall Master Lu, are you joking with me? These people are all rebellious subjects, and everyone has the right to punish them. Regardless of whether they are nobles or powerful Martial Artists, whoever dares to harbor them will be treated as an accomplice and will have their family wiped out!"

Lu Yuan sneered:

"And what if I do harbor them?"

"Besides Zhao Shuhua, you must have captured quite a few people from the Iron-Blooded National Salvation Society tonight, right? I am protecting all of these people. No matter where they are now, I want you to send them all to this Guangwu Hall for me."

"What a lawless madman!"

Finally confirming that Lu Yuan did not seem to be joking, Bagehai's face twitched wildly, and he roared with a stern voice:

"Lu Yuan! Do you not think that just because you have defeated a foreign Grandmaster, you can disregard the laws of the imperial court? To conspire with rebels is a crime punishable by death! Within the imperial court, experts are as numerous as clouds, and firearms and cannons are as dense as a forest. Never mind a single Grandmaster; even the world's number one expert would be crushed to death under the trampling of a thousand armies! If you dare to speak so recklessly and nonsensically before me again, I will surely raze this Guangwu Hall to the ground!"

No words could describe the shock in Bagehai's heart at this moment.

With the ring set up at Haihe Square and the Guangwu Hall ribbon-cutting ceremony suppressing foreign experts, Lu Yuan's reputation was already known to all. As the Chief of the Jingwu Bureau, Bagehai had long heard of his name like thunder. After Lu Yuan had just defeated two powerful foreign experts, Bagehai had even received orders from the Governor-General to secretly send men to investigate Lu Yuan's background, only to find nothing.

And even without being ordered to investigate, such a young and monstrous Han Chinese Grandmaster of unknown origin had always made Bagehai, who was of the Jin Clan Banner Person background, extremely wary.

But he never imagined that while he was here in his capacity as Chief of the Jingwu Bureau to arrest rebels, the other party would dare to speak such treasonous words without any attempt at concealment!

It was not just Bagehai, the Chief.

The dozen or so Duyuan and Colonels of the Jingwu Bureau behind him also wore expressions of horror at this moment, completely unable to understand why Lu Yuan, whose prestige among the common people was currently at its zenith, would openly oppose the imperial court and protect rebels.

Clearly, neither they nor Bagehai knew at this point that the two great Jin Dynasty Grandmasters, Mankeduolugu and Guta, were already dead, nor did they know that Xici had already encountered an assassination attempt by Lu Yuan within the palace; otherwise, their reactions would not have been like this.

Yet, regarding everyone's reaction, Lu Yuan only gave a faint, indifferent smile:

"Forget it, there's probably no point in talking to you. I'll go find Nayancheng directly. Where is he now?"

Bagehai's hair stood on end, and he involuntarily took a step back, shouting sharply:

"What do you want to do? Lord Nayancheng is the Governor-General of Zhili, a high official guarding the frontiers. If you dare to have any treacherous intentions toward him, not only you, but your entire Guangwu Hall... Ah!"

Before his words were finished, Lu Yuan suddenly looked over. Then, the sharp-tongued Bagehai felt the other's gaze pierce straight into his mind like a divine sword, causing his vision to go black and his head to ache violently, and he staggered back while screaming.

Immediately following, Lu Yuan just casually reached out and grabbed. A wild wind rose, and the rather tall Bagehai fell into his hand like a little chick, his neck gripped tight.

At this moment, even though Bagehai was in the midst of a stabbing pain in his mind, he also felt immense humiliation and fury, but before he could make any resistance, he was plunged into deep terror in an instant.

Because at this very moment, he was shocked to discover that his entire body was sealed and suppressed by a mysterious power that could not be described in words, causing his formidable physique and Qi and blood to be completely submerged, unable to exert even the slightest bit of strength!

This was a bizarre situation he had never encountered in his decades of practicing martial arts.

"Lord Chief!"

In a single exchange, Bagehai, this Chief, had become a prisoner. Such miraculous means left the dozen or so Jingwu Bureau experts pale with shock. They drew their sabers and firearms and charged forward, shouting in alarm and anger:

"Hall Master Lu, have you gone mad?"

"Release Lord Chief! Are you truly trying to rebel?"

These elite experts were all of the Fourth or Fifth Realm. Holding long sabers and firearms, they would not fear even a Martial Arts Master of the Six Realms Embracing Dan, but facing Lu Yuan now, they were all like facing a formidable enemy, their expressions fearful.

And Lu Yuan just glanced at them casually, then suddenly flicked his sleeve.

Boom!

Standing right where he was, he flicked his sleeve in an unremarkable manner, and the air was instantly compressed by an unimaginably terrifying force. A visible wave of wild wind was struck out, emitting a heaven-shaking roar as it swept violently toward the surroundings!

The gale, which had almost condensed into substance, roared and crisscrossed. The group of experts who had surrounded him all had their expressions change wildly. In an instant, they felt as if a storm that could scour the world had swept over them. Under the impact of the wild wind, none of them could stand; they either retreated wildly or were blown away, tumbling through the air!

Thus, Chen Zhantang and Peng Yidao, who were behind Lu Yuan, watched in horror as the group of Jingwu Bureau experts scattered like rolling gourds. At the same time, under the blowing of the gale, sand and stones flew throughout the large hall, and their ears were filled with whistling sounds, like ghosts crying and wolves howling.

In this shocking scene.

Lu Yuan then looked at Bagehai, who was imprisoned by his Dharma Power in his hand, and said indifferently:

"If you refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit, I'll ask one more time: where is Nayancheng?"

The reason he decided to take action for Zhao Shuhua and the others was not because he was overflowing with kindness.

First, most of these people in the Iron-Blooded National Salvation Society were young scholars influenced by new ideas, possessing a sincere heart to save the country and the people; it would indeed be a pity for them to die under the butcher's knife of the Jin Dynasty.

Besides their aspirations, most of these people also possessed talent. Lu Yuan's Guangwu Hall was currently only slightly better than a ragtag group; if he could take this opportunity to absorb some usable talent, it would be of great help for him to change the world and create a new world in the future.

Of course, the most critical thing was that his Dharma Power had now broken through two hundred wisps, and his individual strength had basically reached the pinnacle of this world. He now had the qualification to do as he pleased, without needing to hide or cover up anymore!

As the power sealing and suppressing his body faded slightly, Bagehai's face flushed red, and he was incomparably terrified, his expression filled with dread:

"You, you..."

The reason he, a Martial Arts Master and Chief of the Jingwu Bureau, could be reduced to such a state was simple: the means Lu Yuan had just displayed were like those of an immortal or god, simply beyond his imagination!

Lu Yuan just looked at him with a single glance:

"I will not say it a third time. Where is Nayancheng?"

While speaking, Lu Yuan's eyes bloomed with a dark light, as if connecting to the netherworld. Bagehai, completely terrified and chilled to the bone, had his expression go blank for a moment, and he involuntarily spoke in a hoarse voice:

"He... he is at the Jingwu Bureau's relay station mansion."

Lu Yuan immediately turned his head:

"Zhantang, Yidao, you two look after the place. I'm going out for a trip and will be back soon."

As he spoke, he released the Dharma Power restraining Bagehai and issued an order:

"Take me to the relay station mansion. I will chat with him personally."

Bagehai staggered back a few steps, his heart filled with immense humiliation and fear. Added to the influence of a mysterious power that prevented him from harboring any thoughts of resistance, he just spoke in a daze:

"Fine, please follow me."

Saying this, he turned and began to walk, following step by step as he headed out of the hall.

This...?

Completely unaware of what had happened, the group of elite Jingwu Bureau experts looked at each other, and boundless chill rose involuntarily in their hearts.

(End of this chapter)