Chapter 478: The Wind and Waves Rise from Here

Fierce people, and they're asking about me?

Li Yan's eyes were cold, and he hurriedly lifted the window, "Don't rush, come in and talk slowly."

The little beggar was clearly scared out of his wits. After climbing into the room, seeing Li Yan still pouring water for him unhurriedly, he became anxious, "Master, you should run quickly; if it's too late, it will be too late."

"Rest assured, drink some water and talk slowly."

Li Yan's expression was calm as he handed the teacup over.

The little beggar couldn't bother to drink and hurriedly said, "We were cooking in the ruined temple when two evil beggars suddenly came, kicked over the pot, and asked us about the situation at Longquanyi."

"They even knew what you were wearing. Is the benefactor named Li Yan?"

"That's right."

"Then that's it. We were beaten up but didn't say anything, but we heard more people coming outside the temple, saying they found out you were at the inn and were gathering people, preparing to block you here…"

"By the way, they also mentioned some reward from the Prince of Shu's mansion…"

Although the little beggar was nervous, his speech was logical.

Li Yan immediately guessed the reason.

The Prince of Shu's mansion had issued a reward for him.

This matter hadn't happened before.

The Prince of Shu's mansion also had a very loud reputation in the martial world.

Unlike other prince's mansions, this Prince of Shu seemed very interested in martial world and Mystic Sect affairs in recent years, and even organized martial arts competitions.

Some heterodox experts were also taken into his mansion.

Just last year, a lecherous thief from the Mystic Sect sneaked into Chengdu Prefecture and harmed more than a dozen young girls in succession. The Prince of Shu was furious and issued a reward.

In the end, this lecherous thief was surrounded and killed by martial world experts outside the city.

For a time, it was passed down as a beautiful story in the martial world.

Who would have thought that now, he had also become a target of a reward.

Li Yan pondered for a moment, took a piece of silver from his bosom, stuffed it into the little beggar's hand, and said in a deep voice, "You are very good. Being in a predicament, yet able to take care of your companions, this is called righteousness. Knowing I am in trouble and coming to inform me, this is called courage. In the future, you will definitely not be a thing in a pool."

"I am drifting in the martial world and cannot take care of others. You cannot take too heavy things, so take this money."

"How to walk the road in the future can only depend on yourself!"

Sha Lifei saved a beggar in Chongqing Prefecture out of sympathy for each other's plight.

And this little beggar before his eyes also reminded him of his past life, although he didn't have to beg for food, he had also sunk into the abyss, and there was still a pile of people to protect.

He had hated, resented, but never given up.

The little beggar didn't waste words either, as if grabbing the withered grass of fate, clenching the silver tightly in his hand, and bowed respectfully:

"Benefactor, my name is Yao Ge, and my formal name is Yang Tianbao."

After saying that, he jumped out of the window.

With this movement skill, he should have practiced when he was young.

Li Yan didn't know what this little beggar had experienced in the past, but he could see that when he ran away from the street, his back had already straightened by three points…

Seeing the little beggar leave safely, Li Yan turned to the table, pondered for a moment, and continued to pack his luggage.

What was different was that the luggage that was about to be packed was dispersed by him again and reorganized.

Commonly used weapons and Dharma artifacts were carried on his person.

Things that were not commonly used were packed separately.

He knew that he couldn't leave for the time being.

No matter the reason, since he had been targeted by the Prince of Shu's mansion, he had to change his strategy.

He could easily get rid of them and hide, but for the sake of the reward, the martial world people who flocked here might find Sha Lifei and the others.

Moreover, it would also interfere with what both sides were doing.

Since that was the case, he would openly reveal his identity and attract all the attention, so others would be safer.

Knock, knock, knock!

The door was knocked again.

Outside came the trembling voice of the waiter, "Gue… Guest, the proprietor asked me to ask you, are you staying for many more days?"

Li Yan raised his eyebrows, "How about it? You have money but don't let me stay, and are preparing to drive the guest away?"

"No, no, no, this little one just has a big mouth…"

The waiter was scared out of his wits and ran downstairs in a panic.

Li Yan shook his head slightly, then pinched the Dharma seal and listened attentively.

Soon, low whispers came from downstairs.

"What's the matter?"

"Proprietor, he won't leave."

"Damn it, isn't this taking my life? If a fight breaks out, my inn will suffer."

"Proprietor, is that really a major bandit upstairs?"

"Of course, I heard he even robbed the Prince of Shu's mansion's treasure."

"Then why haven't I seen any government officials come?"

"Who knows…"

Hearing these words, Li Yan laughed dumbly.

The inn proprietor receiving the news was not surprising at all.

Near such a station, they were considered the most well-informed people. It was possible that martial world guests had already come to inquire about news, or even issued warnings.

What he found strange was.

They were all martial world people, and no government officials came to the door.

What does the Prince of Shu's mansion want to do…

Li Yan felt suspicious in his heart, but his movements didn't stop. After packing his luggage, he carried it on his back, wore a bamboo hat, and pushed the door out.

Seeing him go downstairs, the proprietor and the waiter immediately stiffened.

"Check out, leave the shop."

Hearing Li Yan say this sentence, the proprietor was overjoyed and hurriedly waved his hands, "Hero staying in my small shop is giving me face and adding light; how would I dare to ask you for money?"

Li Yan shook his head slightly and was too lazy to waste words. He directly slapped down a few pieces of broken silver, "Where can I buy a horse?"

"Hero, the carriage and horse shop has them, but over there…"

Before the proprietor could finish speaking, Li Yan had already walked away.

Watching his departing back, the shop waiter swallowed his saliva, "Proprietor, aren't Zuan Shan Bao and the others at the carriage and horse shop?"

"Shut your mouth!"

The proprietor hurriedly waved his hands, "Quick, quick, quick, close the door. Also, get the fire basin and willow branch water to send away the plague god."

…………

The nickname "Zuan Shan Bao" (Mountain-Drilling Leopard) was very common in the martial world.

Almost every place had someone called "Zuan Shan Bao," usually representing their bravery and cunning.

Lu Feng was such a person.

In his youth, he joined the "Zhao Sect," learned good boxing and kicking, but had a fiery temper, beat his senior brother, and was expelled from the sect.

He was also considered straightforward, simply picked up a knife, put his head on his belt, and engaged in the business of killing for money or collecting rewards, gradually making a name for himself.

To this day, he had gathered a group of subordinates, all of whom were brave men who dared to fight.

As long as the money was enough, whether it was helping those gangs grab territory or robbing goods, there was nothing he didn't dare to do.

He even led people up the mountain to wipe out a nest of bandits.

The name "Zuan Shan Bao" appeared precisely because of this.

In the martial world of Shu, he could also be considered a figure.

At this moment, he was hiding in the carriage and horse shop with his brothers, sharpening knives and wiping bows, each with cold eyes.

"Boss, this business is not easy to do…"

An older man beside him couldn't help but speak.

"It has to be done even if it's hard!"

"Zuan Shan Bao" fiercely stabbed the knife into the table, gritting his teeth, "Ten thousand taels of silver; this opportunity won't come around once in half a lifetime."

As he spoke, his eyes were full of viciousness, "That person is indeed not easy to deal with; we have to fight for our lives when we have to."

"In a few years, our brothers will all be old and won't be able to swing knives, and we won't have earned much money, so we might as well fight for it while we have the chance!"

"Boss…"

As he was speaking, a subordinate pushed the door and entered, his face full of nervousness and excitement, "That person is coming to the carriage and horse shop."

"Look carefully!" "Zuan Shan Bao" grabbed the subordinate by the collar.

"Looked carefully!"

The subordinate gritted his teeth, "I saw him come out of the inn with my own eyes, carrying luggage, as if he were coming to buy a horse."

"Good opportunity!"

"Zuan Shan Bao" took a deep breath, "Everyone hide, listen to me throwing the cup as a signal, and take action together!"

With an order, everyone immediately hid.

Some hid in the door with knives.

Some stood at the corner of the second floor with bows.

Even two people stood on the rafters, holding large iron nets, covered with sharp iron hooks.

This thing was specifically used by the yamen to deal with martial world people.

!.

"Zuan Shan Bao's" group never talked about any martial world rules, specifically bullying the few with the many, using whatever was good, and played very smoothly.

The proprietor and waiters of the carriage and horse shop were full of bitterness.

They didn't even dare to think about compensation for broken things; if they were caught in the crossfire and lost their lives, that would be truly unlucky.

Unfortunately, being aimed at by bows and arrows, no one dared to run.

Not long after, Li Yan walked over carrying his luggage.

The autumn wind blew, rolling up the withered leaves on the ground.

He raised his bamboo hat, his eyes very calm, walked into the carriage and horse shop with long strides, and smiled, "Proprietor, I want to buy a horse."

"Cluck…"

The proprietor was full of cold sweat and couldn't even speak.

Li Yan didn't care, looked left and right, came to the stable, and his eyes turned cold slightly.

Neigh!

Several old horses were startled, shaking their reins and hiding backward.

Li Yan frowned when he saw this.

This place really couldn't find any good horses; they had been working and pulling heavy loads all year round, their tempers had long been smoothed out, and a little bit of evil aura would scare them into retreating.

If something happened on the road, they could pull his luggage away…

Ow~ ow~

Just then, a head leaned over.

It was a large gray donkey, stretching its neck, as if begging for food, and it seemed to have been beaten, with two eyes one up and one down.

It looked full of wisdom…

"Hahaha."

Li Yan laughed, touched the donkey's head, "You're the one. Your eyes are bad, your brain is bad, at least you dare to risk your life."

"How much?"

"Guest, this donkey's brain is not good, it's… it's for killing and eating meat, no… no money needed."

The proprietor was trembling and speaking nonsense.

"How much?"

Li Yan led the donkey out, tied the luggage, and asked again.

The proprietor swallowed his saliva, "Five, five taels of silver."

"Too little!"

Li Yan directly threw out a ten-tael piece of silver, then led the donkey and walked slowly out of Longquanyi.

From beginning to end, no one dared to take action.

Because where Li Yan walked, the tamped ground all sank by half an inch, revealing footprints of equal depth.

"Bo… Boss."

A subordinate beside him swallowed his saliva.

"Damn it!"

"Zuan Shan Bao" looked at the footprints on the ground and spat fiercely, "Call me Zuan Shan Donkey from now on."

"At such a young age… what kind of monster is this…"

…………

Outside Longquanyi, Li Yan stuffed a radish into the donkey's mouth, then flipped onto its back, swaying leisurely on the official road.

Those in the carriage and horse shop were just martial world dregs.

If he killed them, he would be afraid of dirtying his hands.

After showing a hand, the ones coming later would naturally be experts.

Since he had already revealed his identity, how could there be no famous people under his blade?

But what Li Yan found strange was, how come no one had come to attack after swaying for half a day?

Just then, two people came quickly from Longquanyi, both experts in dark energy, exerting force under their feet, like cicadas in eight steps, whistling over.

"Greetings, Li Li Shaoxia!"

Before Li Yan could ask, the two bowed in unison.

One of the men said in a deep voice, "We are disciples of the Huang Ling Sect; our master asked us to come and say a word of thanks."

"You don't need to worry about the reward; those people have already been warned by us and won't come to find trouble."

Li Yan understood immediately, smiled and cupped his hands, "Thank you."

"But I have one thing I don't understand. The Prince of Shu's mansion could have directly issued an order for the yamen to arrest me; why go to the trouble of issuing a reward?"

One of the Huang Ling Sect disciples hesitated for a moment and said, "The situation in Chengdu is a bit complicated. The Imperial Court sent an Imperial Wang Wang Yushi to find trouble with the Prince of Shu's mansion everywhere."

"I don't know some things, but my master said that this 'Wish-Fulfilling Treasure Pearl' of the Prince of Shu's mansion was lost a bit strangely. If they let the Chengdu Prefecture yamen take action, they are afraid of finding something, so they issued a reward."

"Even if the Imperial Wang Wang Yushi asks, they can pretend not to know anything."

"Also, the Prince of Shu's mansion has raised many martial world heterodox experts. Although we can block those martial world guests, the ones who truly take action are likely these guys."

"Li Li Shaoxia, Chengdu is dangerous; it's better to stay away as soon as possible."

"So that's how it is…"

Li Yan suddenly realized, feeling ridiculous in his heart.

Although he had never seen that Emperor in the capital, he had seen many things along the way and could see his methods.

Open-sea factions, local factions, Buddhism and Daoism, the Imperial Court and the local government… no one would be allowed to dominate alone; there must be a way of checks and balances.

The royal family is ruthless, and even his own brothers are no exception.

The Prince of Shu's mansion had been jumping around these years. Although the Emperor didn't say anything, the fact that those high ministers dared to find trouble was a sign of the Emperor's intent.

If they knew their brother was looking for an Elixir of Immortality.

I'm afraid the Prince of Shu's mansion would also have to suffer.

Thinking of this, Li Yan bowed, "The two of you, thank the seniors of the Huang Ling Sect for me."

"Once this matter is over, I will definitely pay a visit."

Having said that, he led the donkey and walked leisurely toward the ferry.

He planned to leave by boat from the Tuojiang River, attracting attention along the way, and after reaching Neijiang, release fake news that he was heading to Yibin, but actually transfer by land to join Sha Lifei and the others.

If the itinerary was arranged properly, it would be just enough time for Sha Lifei and Wang Daoxuan to find clues.

Watching Li Yan swaying and riding the donkey away, the two from the Huang Ling Sect looked at each other.

"Feng Feng Shixiong brother, is this person a fool? We said it so clearly, why not run quickly?"

"Nonsense, he has made such a great name for himself at such a young age; he must have extraordinary qualities. Perhaps he has other ideas."

"Forget it, the words are delivered, let's go back to report…"

Not long after they left, a carriage flew over.

Inside the carriage, the man with the painted face was gloomy.

At the same time, the news of Li Yan appearing near Longquanyi also spread rapidly.

Martial world people who didn't know were asking everywhere.

What is the background of this Li Yan?

And some other people were also coming toward Chengdu.

Li Yan still underestimated his reputation, thinking he was only attracting the Prince of Shu's mansion, but didn't know he had already stirred up countless dark currents…

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 479 =====

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