Chapter 62: Three Days to Execution, Rescue on the Fire Line

Hearing that Lin Xingchao and the others had actually encountered such an ambush, the expressions of Lu Yuan and the others changed abruptly.

A Fifth Realm high-level mage, plus so many Fourth Realm experts and elite ambushes—it is no wonder that even with this Martial Uncle's Martial Arts, he could only escape while wounded.

If Lin Xingchao is in such a state, Xi Beichen, who has not yet reached the Fourth Realm, is likely unable to escape his fate now.

Thinking of this, the three of them fell silent; Gu Yourong, for her part, already had tears sliding down, and the atmosphere was oppressive.

"Don't be anxious or discouraged just yet!"

At this moment, Li Junxian, who was extracting bullets for Lin Xingchao, said in a deep voice:

"Beichen is, after all, a Martial Master about to step into the Fourth Realm, with a powerful physique and vitality. Since he could shout for you to leave first before he fell, he is not necessarily dead. And as long as he is not dead, no matter how severe his injuries are, the Jingwu Bureau should ensure his life is preserved at the first opportunity!"

As the saying goes, concern leads to chaos.

Once these words were spoken, a light of hope immediately ignited in Gu Yourong's eyes: "Re, really, Martial Uncle?"

"Your Martial Uncle is right, Beichen is not necessarily dead."

Lin Xingchao also took a deep breath:

"If he is still alive, he will definitely be sent to the Jingwu Bureau. This ambush is entirely my responsibility as his master. Once my wounds heal a bit, I will storm the Jingwu Bureau and bring Beichen back!"

Behind him, Li Junxian sneered:

"Storm the Jingwu Bureau alone, and then wait for me to collect your corpse? This isn't Jinjin where there are so many hands to help. In your current state, if you storm in alone and can come out alive, I'll write my name backward!"

Gu Yourong looked at Li Junxian pitifully and pleaded:

"Martial Uncle... can you help my master and save my Martial Brother?"

Lin Xingchao immediately scolded: "Rong'er, hold your tongue! How can I drag your Martial Uncle into the mistake I have committed!?"

"Sigh, alright, alright."

Li Junxian sighed helplessly:

"From childhood to adulthood, you old fellow have never been one to save me any trouble. How could I just sit by and watch this matter? You cannot stay in your original residence anymore. I have an empty house nearby, and there is a tunnel in the cellar that leads directly there. Once your injuries are treated, you can recuperate there for a while. Tomorrow morning, I will have Dahu and Erhu go and scout for information. After confirming the situation, we will decide on the next step."

Lin Xingchao said with shame: "I'm sorry, Martial Brother, I've implicated you after all."

"Alright, stop being so long-winded."

Li Junxian instructed:

"A Yuan, you pack up your things later and move over there with your Martial Uncle to act as cover. The people from the Jingwu Bureau will soon seal the city gates and conduct a massive search, so be extra careful."

Lu Yuan was quite surprised that Li Junxian had actually hidden such a retreat in the Boxiyuan, and he immediately agreed: "Yes, Master."

Following that, after more than an hour, Lin Xingchao's wounds were treated, and a total of three bullet heads were extracted.

It is worth mentioning that the special violent institutions like the Jingwu Bureau are equipped with firearms that are large-caliber and high-power, even significantly more formidable than the standard firearms equipped in large quantities by the military.

Although a Refining Blood Martial Artist like Lin Xingchao has a formidable physique and avoided vital points, he was not lightly injured after taking these three shots, not to mention the blood hole that had been pierced through his shoulder.

At the same time, during this period, Lu Yuan also probed and learned that the so-called high-level mage Lin Xingchao encountered only displayed the means of using Flying Needle Technique for assassination; there were no other spells, and not even an Illusion Technique had been used.

Of course, it was mainly because a Martial Artist of Lin Xingchao's level has a strong will, and Illusion Technique generally cannot have much effect.

After understanding this information.

Lu Yuan packed up and took Lin Xingchao and Gu Yourong through a secret entrance in the cellar of Li Junxian's small courtyard, entering a tunnel.

This tunnel was narrow and long, about two li in length, and when they walked out, they arrived in the woodshed of a residence.

After walking out, this house was two courtyards deep, neither too big nor too small, and the living utensils in the rooms were complete.

Lu Yuan settled Lin Xingchao and his disciple in the main room, while he returned to the guest room.

The pitch-black room was not lit, and he looked out the window with his eyes flickering slightly:

"They found another Fifth Realm high-level mage; it seems this Jingwu Bureau is very unwilling to accept defeat..."

It must be said.

This time, besides being somewhat careless, Lin Xingchao and his disciple could be considered to have blocked a disaster for him.

Of course, even if he were the one to make a move at the Liu Mansion, relying on Earth Travel Technique and Invisibility Technique, the Jingwu Bureau's ambush layout would be unable to do anything to him.

However.

Although he did not interact much with Xi Beichen, firstly, he had a good impression of him, and secondly, they belonged to the same sect, so he did not intend to sit idly by.

But since the incident had just occurred, it was not appropriate to be too hasty; he still needed to plan how to intervene and help.

At the same time.

Jingwu Bureau Medical Hall.

Suo Helie walked in with a vigorous stride, and saw Sagele, who had bandages wrapped around his chest and abdomen, standing respectfully:

"Lord Suo, the accomplice's life has been preserved. Do you wish to interrogate him?"

Looking at the bandages and bloodstains on Sagele, Suo Helie's expression was calm, and he did not say much:

"Take me to see him."

Subsequently, Sagele personally led the way into the medical hall. In the innermost room, they saw two colonels personally standing guard, while Xi Beichen on the bed was wrapped in bandages from head to toe, pale-faced and unconscious.

At the same time, one could see that his shoulders and knees were clearly dislocated; it was evident that special techniques had been used to unjoint him to prevent resistance.

After a brief glance at Xi Beichen, Suo Helie said coldly:

"Hmph, with so many elite experts, and even the master of Youxian Temple assisting, you only managed to leave behind such a small character?"

Being of the same Jin Clan, Sagele immediately complained:

"My Lord, despite all our calculations, we truly did not expect that an impostor would actually be a Fifth Realm Refining Blood Martial Artist. Such a person is fierce and incomparable; if you had been present, you would surely have been able to take him down easily, but our strength is low, and we truly could not hold him."

"You certainly know how to flatter."

Knowing it was flattery, Suo Helie's expression still eased slightly, and then he signaled:

"Wake him up."

Sagele immediately lifted half a bucket of clear water prepared by the bedside and poured it over Xi Beichen's head.

The water of midwinter was bone-chillingly cold, and Xi Beichen woke up with a start. Just as he was about to struggle to get up, his shoulders were pressed down by the two colonels on either side, pinning him to the bed.

Suo Helie looked down at Xi Beichen from a high vantage point: "What is your name, and what is your relationship to that Fifth Realm expert who came with you?"

Having lost too much blood, feeling weak all over, and unable to move his hands or feet, Xi Beichen already understood his situation and laughed grimly:

"I have no name, and I have no relationship with that person."

Sagele's face twitched, and with a ferocious grin, he stepped forward and jabbed his scabbard hard into the gunshot wound that had just been bandaged on Xi Beichen, immediately causing him to let out a hoarse, painful roar.

"Once you've entered the Jingwu Division, you still dare to be dishonest?"

Xi Beichen was in extreme agony, yet Sagele applied even more force with his hand, saying viciously:

"That expert risked injury just to save you; you two are either master and disciple or father and son. Who do you think you can fool? Speak! Why did you impersonate Qingyike, and where is your hideout!?"

As the wounds on his body split open and instantly stained the gauze red, Xi Beichen's face twisted, but he laughed wildly:

"Harder, push harder! If your grandfather lets out even half a sound of pain, I'll take your surname!"

Seeing that the prisoner under the steps was still so stubborn, Sagele became even more enraged, and with a forceful shove, the scabbard actually poked directly into the wound!

Under the extreme, searing pain, the severely wounded Xi Beichen's body trembled, and he fainted on the spot.

"That's enough!"

Suo Helie frowned and scolded:

"This person is still of some use; if you kill him, how are we supposed to interrogate him?"

Sagele hurriedly bowed and said viciously:

"My lord, please rest assured. Give me a few more days, and I will definitely pry this brat's mouth open! Li Zhenguang has already contacted the prefectural government and the city garrison to seal the city gates and is conducting a city-wide search. That imposter is heavily injured and certainly cannot escape for the time being. Plus, since the other party clearly has a deep connection with this brat, as long as we set up a trap, we might even be able to lure them into the hook!"

"A few days? This official does not have that much leisure time to wait, and Fengyang Prefecture cannot be sealed for that long."

Suo Helie said coldly:

"The true heart-deep threat is Qingyike. I will only give you three days to pry this person's mouth open. After three days, send this thief to Caishikou to be beheaded in public to see if that imposter dares to show their face. At that time, I will personally oversee the execution and let all the lowly commoners in the city know that anyone who has any association with Qingyike will meet a miserable end!"

"My lord is wise!"

Sagele never forgot to flatter him and immediately bowed:

"This subordinate obeys!"

After daybreak.

When the commoners woke up, they discovered that Fengyang Prefecture seemed to have changed Heaven overnight.

First, all four city gates were tightly shut, allowing only entry and no exit.

Second, the elites of the Jingwu Division, along with all the yamen runners and even large batches of city garrison soldiers, took to the streets to begin a carpet-style, strict investigation.

They held portraits of Xi Beichen and questioned every household; as a result, in less than half a day, they tracked down the Golden Sheep Medical Clinic and the small courtyard that Lin Xingchao had rented.

Although the courtyard had long been empty, after visiting, the disguised identities of Lin Xingchao and Gu Yourong were completely exposed, and their appearances were identified and reconstructed.

By evening, hundreds of Wanted Notices were plastered all over the major markets, causing the entire city, especially the commoners in the East City, to discuss it fervently:

"What, that Doctor Lin from the Golden Sheep Medical Clinic is actually an accomplice of Qingyike?"

"This, how is this possible? I broke my leg earlier and it was healed by that Doctor Lin. The money charged wasn't much either; he doesn't look like..."

"That's right, that Doctor Lin is a very good person. My cough was also cured by him. Could the government officials have made a mistake!"

"Sigh, truly, good people don't live long while scourges live for a thousand years. I wonder if Doctor Lin can survive this disaster."

Regardless of whether they had received his kindness, most of the commoners felt secretly sorry.

Meanwhile, inside Boxiyuan.

Duyuan Li Zhenguang, accompanied by several subordinates, looked at Li Junxian, who had let his own disciple report to the authorities, his gaze narrowing slightly:

"What, you say you know these three people?"

Li Junxian sighed: "I am ashamed, I am ashamed. I do indeed know these three; they even came to visit me a month and a half ago."

Li Zhenguang squinted his eyes, unfolded the Wanted Notice, and said: "What are their names, what is their background, and how did you come to know them?"

Li Junxian testified:

"This middle-aged man is named Lin Xingchao, and the other two are his disciples, Xi Beichen and Gu Yourong. I met Lin Xingchao over a dozen years ago while seeking medical treatment in Tianjing. At that time, I was suffering from a stubborn illness. This man ran a medical clinic in Tianjing and possessed remarkable medical skills; with his miraculous hands, he actually cured my stubborn illness."

Because of this, I was deeply grateful. Even after leaving Tianjing, I would occasionally send letters to inquire after him, until about seven or eight years ago when he left Tianjing, and we completely lost contact. However, I never expected that this person would suddenly appear last month and come to me saying he wanted to open a medical clinic here in Fengyang Prefecture.

Who would have thought that this person was using the medical clinic as a front to engage in such deeds? Therefore, after seeing the Wanted Notice, I immediately reported it to the authorities."

Li Zhenguang's gaze was scrutinizing, faintly revealing a look of suspicion:

"Has this person come to find you from last night until now, and do you know where he is hiding?"

"Of course not. Furthermore, I have been operating here in Fengyang Prefecture for a long time; how could I be an accomplice or helper to such criminals?"

Li Junxian said with a solemn expression:

"If I knew where this person was hiding, I would certainly not conceal it. If you have any suspicions, you are welcome to search my entire Boxiyuan!"

Li Junxian's expression did not seem fake, but Li Zhenguang said meaningfully:

"Is that so? Manager Li is a local snake; if you were determined to cover something up in such a large garden, I might not necessarily be able to find anything..."

Li Junxian's expression changed slightly, and then he stepped forward and quietly slipped over a note with edges woven from silver thread:

"Lord Li, we are all Han people, and several lords even have shares in this Pleasure Garden. If business is affected, I, as the manager, truly cannot answer for it. This is a Silver Dollar Voucher from the Tongbao Bank; one sheet can be exchanged for one thousand Silver Yuan. I ask that you please be accommodating and do not let the turmoil spread here and affect our business."

Upon hearing this amount, Li Zhenguang's eyes immediately lit up. He quietly accepted the Silver Dollar Voucher and then said with a beaming smile:

"A small matter, easily done, easily done!"

"Manager Li has operated in Fengyang Prefecture for many years; of course, it is impossible for you to have any involvement with such bandits. On the contrary, thanks to the information you provided, we might be able to catch this villain even faster!"

Although he was a Duyuan of the Jingwu Division, Li Zhenguang's annual salary was only three hundred Silver Yuan; this one Silver Dollar Voucher was worth three years of his work.

Li Junxian also smiled slightly: "Duyuan Li has gone to great trouble. After this matter is over, feel free to come to our Boxiyuan to sit for a while."

"Good, once I catch this gang of thieves, I will definitely come to disturb you!"

Li Zhenguang was satisfied and, with a joyful expression, cupped his hands in farewell and left with his subordinates.

Once the group's figures disappeared, Li Junxian's expression slowly darkened.

Behind him, Xu Dahu, who had been watching the whole process from the sidelines, asked in a low voice: "Master, wouldn't doing this also affect you?"

"There's no time to worry about that."

Li Junxian said indifferently:

"Your martial uncle and the others came to find me half a month ago. Now that their portraits have been exposed, there are many people at Boxiyuan with sharp eyes and ears, and quite a few remember them; it's possible that someone will secretly report them to the authorities later. Rather than that, it would be better for us to report it ourselves, otherwise we will end up in a passive position."

"All of you, hurry through the tunnel now and notify your martial uncle and A Yuan and the others to come here to me, so we can discuss how to carry out the rescue!"

The second update is being written; by the way, I'm recommending a book by an old author, those interested can go take a look.

(End of this chapter)