Chapter 351: Seeing Lou Lou Hechuan Again! The Dust-Sealed Years Slowly Unfold

Evening, Bai Yujing City.

No. 73 Yangming Road.

A sudden explosion last night turned the original villa into scorched earth, with blackness everywhere and piles of ruins. The surroundings were also sealed off by warning tape.

Regarding this accident, the official notice stated it was a natural gas leak, an explosion caused by aging pipes.

Crack...

Just then, a sound of footsteps fell, stepping on the scorched ruins, accompanied by a crisp sound. The ghostly moonlight stretched the shadows long, gradually overlapping with the scorched blackness of the ground.

Zhang Fan's gaze was cold, sweeping the surroundings. He could feel the fluctuations of soul-aspects still remaining in the air.

This was clearly not some ordinary accident; practitioners had fought here.

"I let you go twice, I won't let you go a third time."

"Ren Xiao, I can kill one, and I can kill the second one."

That night, Chen Long's words, or rather, the threat, echoed in Zhang Fan's mind again.

He had been mentally prepared, but he didn't expect the other party's actions to be so swift, so sharp, and so ruthless.

"Could it be her?" Zhang Fan's expression was solemn. He had completely lost contact with Li Li Yishan, and he had tried every communication method but couldn't reach him.

Even Li Li Yishan's stepmother, Jiang Jiang Yunxian, had disappeared. The police uncle said that only five bodies were found at the accident site: Li Li Yishan's driver, the cleaning lady, the cook, and two employees of Jiang Jiang Yunxian's company.

As for Jiang Jiang Yunxian and Li Li Yishan, they were currently in a state of lost contact.

Zhang Fan's eyes were like knives, his expression cold to the extreme. He walked in the ruins, looking for usable clues.

Suddenly, a dim luster flickered, entering his line of sight.

Zhang Fan walked over, bent down to search, and found a fortune stick under the bricks and stones. It was made of copper-gilt material, with "Lower-Lower" engraved on the front.

Zhang Fan's gaze lowered, and he recognized it.

That summer vacation, he, Li Li Yishan, and Xu Xu Zhixia went to 【Nanquan Small Town】 to play and sought two fortune sticks in a Daoist temple.

Li Li Yishan had sought an "Upper-Upper" stick.

Zhang Fan and Xu Xu Zhixia had sought "Lower-Lower" sticks. At that time, Xu Xu Zhixia was a bit unhappy when she saw the stick she had sought.

Li Li Yishan had swapped his "Upper-Upper" stick for theirs. Later, Zhang Fan had even engraved his and Xu Xu Zhixia's names on that stick.

Li Li Yishan joked that couples who lock love locks, seek marriage sticks, and burn long-lasting incense in scenic spots basically don't have a good ending. Sure enough, they broke up the following year after graduation.

Zhang Fan held the pitch-black "Lower-Lower" stick, and all sorts of past events surged into his heart. He flipped the stick over, and there were words engraved on the back, which should have been engraved by Li Li Yishan himself after he returned.

"Cultivation reveals that color is not empty, a thought suddenly arises to see the residual red. What is the wonder of seeing through life and death? The human body is still in the midst of calamity."

"What is the wonder of seeing through life and death? The human body is still in the midst of calamity..." Zhang Fan murmured softly, his gaze gradually unfocused, and Li Li Yishan's figure appeared in his mind.

"Who is there?"

Just then, a sharp shout rang out, interrupting Zhang Fan's thoughts.

He turned to look and saw a man and a woman walking over, holding flashlights. The blinding light shone on Zhang Fan, and their gazes were wantonly sizing him up.

"This is an accident site. Who let you come in so casually?" The man wearing a black short-sleeved shirt and black sneakers said in a low voice.

"People from the Daoist Alliance?" Zhang Fan's gaze narrowed slightly, and he saw the woman with a ponytail beside him wearing the Daoist Alliance's work uniform.

"Since you know we are people from the Daoist Alliance? It seems you didn't break in unintentionally..." The man in the black short-sleeved shirt raised an eyebrow and immediately revealed a suspicious look.

Zhang Fan glanced at them, put the "Lower-Lower" stick into his pocket, and turned to leave.

"What did you take? You want to leave without explaining clearly?"

The man shouted, stepping forward.

In an instant, Zhang Fan flashed and had already jumped a hundred meters away.

The man in the black short-sleeved shirt's expression changed drastically, and he subconsciously called out, "Junior Sister, stop him, he is not an ordinary person."

Rumble...

As soon as the words fell, the woman with a ponytail formed a seal with both hands, and a fire light soared into the sky, red and scorching, like a mysterious light from the sun, burning True Fire in ignorance, illuminating the darkness in eternal silence.

"Laoshan Red Fire Method!?"

Zhang Fan looked on. The scorching fire light pierced the darkness of the long night, illuminating his face.

The Red Fire Method, derived from the Laoshan Great Flowing Flame, was a minor technique.

"Laoshan disciple!"

Zhang Fan whispered. He stood still, and the scorching fire light was still ten steps away when it violently vibrated and collapsed, the scattered fire light splashing and galloping.

"You..."

The woman with a ponytail panicked, a look of deep terror surging in her eyes. She didn't expect that the man in front of her had such terrifying means; without moving his body, he had broken her Red Fire Method.

"I don't have the time to play with you," Zhang Fan whispered.

Rumble...

Suddenly, a terrifying pressure arrived with a roar, like a sudden wild wave, like an angry sea overturning.

The man and woman's expressions changed drastically, and they knelt on the ground with a thud. Their soul-aspects were like wearing shackles, their bodies seemed to be carrying a blue mountain, and the terrifying pressure almost filled every inch of flesh and blood, their nerves on the verge of collapse.

"What... what kind of person is this..." The man in the black short-sleeved shirt lowered his head, beads of sweat the size of beans falling constantly.

"Zhang Fan..."

Just then, a hurried call came from afar. Zhang Fan turned to look and saw an old acquaintance rushing over.

"Sui Brother Chunsheng!?"

"Misunderstanding, misunderstanding..." Sui Brother Chunsheng walked up, looked at the man and woman kneeling on the ground, and hurriedly said, "Our own people, all our own people..."

Zhang Fan glanced at them and slowly withdrew his gaze. The pressure like the collapse of heaven and earth dissipated instantly.

The man and woman collapsed on the ground, their clothes already soaked with sweat. They were like mud, unable to muster even half a bit of strength, and the look in their eyes when they looked at Zhang Fan was full of fear.

"Why are you here too?" Zhang Fan asked casually.

"This place... has traces of practitioners fighting, so it's naturally taken over by our Daoist Alliance." Sui Brother Chunsheng looked at the man and woman and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Recently, there's not enough manpower in the unit, and they were borrowed from Laoshan. Let me introduce them..."

"No need," Zhang Fan shook his head. He had no interest in knowing these two newcomers.

"Old Sui, we are old acquaintances, so I won't beat around the bush with you. What's the situation here?" Zhang Fan asked.

"Still investigating. You also know that when experts fight, the surrounding surveillance can't be used. The current clues are too few," Sui Brother Chunsheng shook his head and sighed.

"It might be related to the Wu Wei Sect..."

As he spoke, Sui Brother Chunsheng leaned in front of Zhang Fan and whispered, "You might not know, but a few days ago, a big event happened in Jiangnan Province, and even President Lou was removed from his post..."

"The Wu Wei Sect is becoming more and more rampant. Now, the whole of Jiangnan Province is undergoing a major cleaning..."

Speaking to this point, Sui Brother Chunsheng hurriedly stopped. "I can only tell you this much. The rest is too confidential, we have discipline."

"I want to see President Lou."

Just then, Zhang Fan suddenly made a request.

"You want to see President Lou?" Sui Brother Chunsheng was stunned for a moment, then revealed a look of difficulty.

"Why? Is it hard to handle? He was just removed from his post. Even if there are any crimes, he has to wait until he goes to Shangjing and undergoes an investigation..." Zhang Fan said lightly.

As soon as these words came out, Sui Brother Chunsheng's expression changed drastically, and he looked at Zhang Fan with some surprise.

"You... know? You actually know?"

"Old Sui, I can tell you that in Bai Yujing City, in Jiangnan Province, the means I can use will only be more than you imagine..." Zhang Fan said in a low voice.

"I want to see Lou Lou Hechuan. You can take it as my request."

Zhang Fan's voice was low and slow, yet it carried a majesty that could not be discussed.

At this moment, Sui Brother Chunsheng was actually a bit dazed. He only felt that the Zhang Fan in front of him had become completely different from the Zhang Fan he knew.

"I understand, I will arrange it," Sui Brother Chunsheng nodded and said.

"Let's go."

"Now?" Sui Brother Chunsheng was stunned for a moment.

"Yes, just now," Zhang Fan confirmed.

"Alright."

Sui Brother Chunsheng nodded helplessly. With a wave of his hand, a black car drove over from afar.

Zhang Fan got straight into the car, and Sui Brother Chunsheng supported the man and woman and sat in the back row.

A moment later, the black car stopped at the gate of the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance.

"I've already arranged it, but you only have twenty minutes. President Lou is still in isolation," Sui Brother Chunsheng said in a low voice.

"Got it," Zhang Fan nodded.

As he spoke, Zhang Fan followed Sui Brother Chunsheng straight into the office building of the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance.

"Senior Brother, what kind of person is that?" The woman with a ponytail looked at Zhang Fan's retreating back and finally spoke.

Just now in the car, the two of them were like frightened quails, not daring to even breathe. Sitting behind Zhang Fan, that kind of oppression was more terrifying than the calamities in cultivation.

"I don't know," the man in the short-sleeved shirt shook his head, his expression still pale.

"Looking at Director Sui's attitude toward him, he is definitely not an ordinary person."

"This kind of person is not someone we can provoke. Junior Sister, don't be so impulsive in the future."

"Senior Brother, it's not you..."

"Alright, go back and reflect," the man in the short-sleeved shirt raised his hand and turned to leave.

In the corner of the third floor.

Entering the room at the end of the long corridor, it was a suite. Outside was the living room, and inside was the bedroom.

The standard here was no worse than a five-star hotel.

Clatter...

As soon as Zhang Fan entered, he heard the sound of flushing water coming from the bathroom.

"Is that Little Sui?"

Lou Lou Hechuan's voice rang out.

"President Lou, the person has been brought."

"Thank you for your trouble."

"Nothing much, I'll go out first."

As he spoke, Sui Brother Chunsheng gave Zhang Fan a wink and exited the room.

Just then, Lou Lou Hechuan walked out slowly. He was in pajamas, looking very much like a retired old man.

Having stepped down from that position for only a few days, his complexion was actually much ruddier and brighter.

"Zhang Fan, we meet again."

"President Lou..."

"I'm no longer any president," Lou Lou Hechuan waved his hand and sat straight on the sofa.

"Sit."

Zhang Fan looked at this former power-holder of the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance and sat opposite him.

"Are you here for the matter of Li Li Yishan's family?"

Lou Lou Hechuan's straight-to-the-point question made Zhang Fan quite surprised.

"President Lou really knows everything!"

"Of course I know. After the three Celestial Masters perished, I knew that the entire Jiangnan Province was going to change..."

As he spoke, Lou Lou Hechuan lowered his voice and said coldly, "Do you know what their family's background is?"

"Or rather, do you know what the background of your best friend, Li Li Yishan, is?"

"Ren Xiao!" Zhang Fan was silent for a moment and spat out two words.

"Hehe, you know, you really do know," Lou Lou Hechuan laughed.

"It seems, President Lou, you also know," Zhang Fan looked up, a look of suspicion surging in his eyes.

"Is President Lou a person of the Wu Wei Sect?"

"No," Lou Lou Hechuan shook his head.

"Then I don't understand."

"You don't understand why such a big fish was under my nose, and why I didn't move for so many years?" Lou Lou Hechuan leaned on the sofa and looked at the ceiling.

"One cannot sit in this position if one is not deaf, blind, or stupid..."

"On the contrary, if you are truly deaf, blind, and stupid, then you are not far from death."

"I still don't understand," Zhang Fan shook his head.

"The affairs of the world are never black and white. The Wu Wei Sect and the Daoist world have fought for so many years without being eliminated. Since you cannot completely eliminate them, you must allow them to exist, to exist under specific rules..." Lou Lou Hechuan said lightly.

Just like between countries, even if there is a hostile relationship, in the situation where the other party cannot be completely eliminated, no one will start a war, only competing and contending in fields like economy, technology, and military equipment, and sitting down to conduct bilateral talks when necessary.

"The problem of the Wu Wei Sect is not about elimination..." Lou Lou Hechuan said in a low voice.

If it could be eliminated, that would be good, but since it cannot be eliminated, one can only change the way of thinking...

"The key lies in balance. For so many years, why has Jiangnan Province been so stable?"

"You reached an agreement with them?" Zhang Fan said in a low voice.

"There can be friction, there can be competition, but it must be within the red line..." Lou Lou Hechuan said lightly.

For so many years, the Daoist world and the Wu Wei Sect have been testing and consuming each other in this tacit friction.

When this testing and consumption reaches a certain critical value, and the contradictions explode, that is...

Breaking mountains and cutting down temples!

"The death of the three Celestial Masters is a fuse. The balance of Jiangnan Province has been broken... Many forces of the Wu Wei Sect have been cleaned up..."

"They might also carry out counter-retaliation soon," Lou Lou Hechuan sighed.

"What I want to know is... does only you know about this big fish, or do the higher-ups also know?" Zhang Fan asked the key question.

If the higher-ups also knew, then the Daoist Alliance would also be suspicious. He didn't believe the Daoist Alliance would let such a big fish go and remain indifferent, even if it meant paying some price.

So-called balance also requires weighing the pros and cons.

"Only I know, but it's hard to say now," Lou Lou Hechuan shook his head. "After all, Jiangnan Province is no longer under my control."

"You don't believe it?" Lou Lou Hechuan looked at Zhang Fan's expression and couldn't help but laugh.

"The reason I kept this big fish might have had other considerations. For example, now, being trapped in prison, if I offer this big fish at this critical moment, that would be a great achievement, and I could immediately be acquitted and leave."

"Is that what you mean?" Lou Lou Hechuan laughed.

"I have to admit, I always underestimated President Lou," Zhang Fan sighed.

Lou Lou Hechuan looked like he was eating and doing nothing, having no achievements in the position of President of the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance. Besides taking the blame, he seemed useless. In fact, he knew everything and was clear about everything. Regarding human hearts, he was even more clear as fire.

"If I had such thoughts, the position I hold today would definitely be much higher than it is now."

As he spoke, Lou Lou Hechuan's voice became colder by three points. "This big fish is even bigger than you imagine."

"What do you mean?" Zhang Fan asked.

"Do you know what the background of your best friend's stepmother is?" Lou Lou Hechuan sneered.

"Aunt Yun?"

"She is the Lord of the Wu Wei Sect's Uncle Xuan Palace..."

"She!?" Zhang Fan's gaze narrowed slightly, and Jiang Jiang Yunxian's figure appeared in his mind.

"If I wanted to sell, I would have sold them long ago, and I could have sold them for a big price..." Lou Lou Hechuan sneered.

"Now I understand even less," Zhang Fan shook his head.

Such an action had nothing to do with the balance Lou Lou Hechuan spoke of. If one could wipe out the Lord of the Uncle Xuan Palace and Ren Xiao in one fell swoop, the Wu Wei Sect would definitely be severely damaged. For the Daoist world, even if there was chaos for a while, even if it meant paying a price, it would be worth it.

"If we don't count the night the South Zhang lineage was wiped out... thirty-five years ago, that should have been the last time I went to the small town of Qin Gu..." Lou Lou Hechuan whispered leisurely, a look of reminiscence appearing in his eyes.

"That year, your grandfather was still there, and your father was only fourteen or fifteen years old. Although green, the Daoist methods of Mount Long Hu already had quite a bit of heat..."

Zhang Lingzong, in his youth, already showed amazing talent. At the age of fourteen, he had already completed the 【Great Offering of Sealing Gods】 in the North Zhang land, sealed the gods and set up statues, obtained the title of 【Lingzong】, and set up the statue of the 【Great Lingzong King】.

At that time, whether it was South Zhang or North Zhang, it was a major event that attracted much attention.

Because 【Lingzong】 was a high-grade Daoist title. That year, among the North Zhang disciples, only one person obtained a high-grade Daoist title, and his name was Zhang Zhang Ganxuan.

"And it was that year, in the Zhang family ancestral home, that I met a teenager. His age was similar to your father's, and he was also your father's best friend..."

"My father's best friend?" Zhang Fan's heart moved slightly.

"Not bad, that teenager was very special. Although he didn't have the surname Zhang, his Daoist methods were extraordinary. Even among the younger generation of the South Zhang lineage, one couldn't find a few who could be better than him," Lou Lou Hechuan sighed gloomily.

South Zhang disciples, upon reaching the age of fourteen, could go to the North Zhang land to seal gods and set up statues. That teenager could stand shoulder to shoulder with these people, showing that his talent was like a demon, extraordinary and unfathomable.

"That day, the sun was bright. He and your father were fighting in the courtyard of the Zhang family ancestral home, and they were going back and forth..."

"At that time, I thought that such an outstanding young man would one day definitely become famous in the world..." Lou Lou Hechuan's expression was a bit dazed.

Such a stunning person, even thinking about it now, time had not erased the brilliance on his body.

"Who is he? I haven't heard my dad mention him," Zhang Fan asked.

Lou Lou Hechuan paused slightly, looked at Zhang Fan, and a deep meaning surged in his eyes.

"That teenager's name is..."

"Li Li Cunsi!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 352 =====