Chapter 68

Yang Dechang appeared inside the carriage, and no one in the Demon Suppression Division's ranks noticed.

Inside the carriage, the "dogs" had long since put their feet down and were sitting upright, as if nothing had happened.

Yang Dechang coughed dryly. He knew Lu Xingzhou was currently assisting Shen Tang, but he really hadn't expected their relationship to have reached this point... At this moment, many thoughts raced through his mind...

Setting aside the fact that it was inappropriate for a man and a woman to hide in a carriage and touch legs, Yang Dechang actually felt that the act of treating a leg was quite normal. In everyone's mind, these two were still cripples, and even the Demon Suppression Division's team let them sit in a carriage, showing courtesy to the disabled...

He did, however, kindly point out: "Actually... Princess, your leg would be better off not being treated..."

Both of them looked at him, feeling quite surprised.

This sounded cold, but it was actually meant as a kindness... He was actually capable of kindness?

Then the purpose of his visit was a bit interesting... Lu Xingzhou's thoughts raced, and he smiled: "What new advice does Guest Retainer Yang have for us this time?"

"I wouldn't dare." Yang Dechang actually bowed slightly, performed a salute, and then said: "I have come to plead guilty to the Young Master."

Lu Xingzhou looked at Shen Tang, his expression unclear.

She said she wanted to be Huo Shang herself.

Lu Xingzhou sighed and said indifferently: "Guest Retainer Yang says I am Huo Shang... that lacks evidence."

"That is not important." Yang Dechang smiled slightly: "As long as the Young Master wishes to be, then you are."

This was as good as saying that as long as Yang Dechang, who was sent by the Huo family to confirm Lu Xingzhou's identity, could forcefully prove he was, then he was. At the very least, before the Huo family could use various means to verify it, Yang Dechang's words were the greatest evidence.

Lu Xingzhou tapped his fingers on the chair and said slowly: "So, what does Guest Retainer Yang mean by pleading guilty?"

Yang Dechang sighed: "With the Young Master's intelligence, you should be as clear as a mirror."

Lu Xingzhou said indifferently: "It was indeed you who connected the various families to cause trouble at our ceremony... and it was you who hinted for the Incense-Burning Tower to break the rules and assassinate us. This time, it was also you who supported the Incense-Burning Tower from behind to launch an all-out war."

"Yes." Yang Dechang admitted it very readily: "Therefore, I plead guilty."

Lu Xingzhou glanced at Shen Tang, and Shen Tang said: "Do you think that because we suffered no casualties, this crime is easily forgiven?"

Yang Dechang remained silent. The fact was exactly that. First, he was only acting under orders; second, he hadn't personally taken any action; and finally, no matter what fire he had fanned from behind, the Heaven-Walking Sword Sect had suffered no casualties and had actually profited quite a bit. Therefore, this was easily forgiven. No matter what, Shen Tang was considered a political figure, and she should consider more rather than dwelling on this bit of grudge.

Shen Tang said: "But has Guest Retainer Yang ever thought that your crime is not something we can decide how to handle; you have actually offended the Emperor. Of course, he may not know you did it right now... but one day, he will know."

"If the Princess and the Young Master are willing to be understanding, then His Majesty will not know."

"What about the Incense-Burning Tower?"

Yang Dechang smiled slightly: "Aren't the two of you here precisely to make the Incense-Burning Tower unable to speak ever again?"

"Is there something else you don't want them to say..." Lu Xingzhou said leisurely: "Guest Retainer Yang is quite a talent."

Yang Dechang bowed again: "You flatter me, Young Master."

Lu Xingzhou pondered for a moment and smiled: "If Guest Retainer Yang can compile a complete set of data for me regarding the Incense-Burning Tower's current strength, their external network of friendships and enmities, and especially the type or weaknesses of their mountain-protecting array, then the past will be wiped clean."

Yang Dechang glanced at Shen Tang. Shen Tang smiled slightly and didn't interrupt, as if Lu Xingzhou's decision was her decision.

Yang Dechang was secretly amazed and quickly produced a jade slip: "I have already prepared it; the information is all in here. In addition... if the Young Master needs Yang to do anything, provided it doesn't expose me, I might be able to lend a hand."

Lu Xingzhou took the jade slip and tapped it lightly in his palm, pondering: "Old Yang, you should be a Third-Grade expert, right?"

"I am ashamed; just Third Grade, upper stage."

"Asking you to take action against the Incense-Burning Tower might make you worry about exposure, and you might be unwilling... but if I entrust you with another matter, can Guest Retainer Yang help?"

Yang Dechang said hurriedly: "Young Master, please feel free to command."

Lu Xingzhou pointed to Sheng Yuanyao at the front of the procession: "Protect her; don't let anything happen to her."

Yang Dechang was stunned: "How could anyone in Dongjiang County be unfavorable to the City Lord of Xiazhou?"

"I don't know, but it's better to be prepared. If you are willing to take action, I will feel more at ease..."

Yang Dechang said solemnly: "In such a matter, Yang is duty-bound."

Watching Yang Dechang's disappearing figure, Lu Xingzhou felt a bit distracted.

No matter what this person was thinking, he was a figure within the system, unlike the immortal sects like the Incense-Burning Tower that existed outside the system. At the very least, protecting Sheng Yuanyao's safety was a great favor he could earn from Sheng Qingfeng, so there shouldn't be any problems.

As for the rest...

Shen Tang's identity couldn't be publicized, so it was meaningless to those idiots at the Incense-Burning Tower who couldn't guess it. But to people like Sheng Qingfeng and Yang Dechang, it was a rare commodity... Even the attitudes of the Huo family and Yang Dechang toward him were shaken by this.

He hadn't originally intended to use Shen Tang's princess identity to plot against the Huo family, but unknowingly, they had been passively rolled together.

"What are you thinking about?" Shen Tang's voice came.

Lu Xingzhou woke up and smiled: "Nothing."

Shen Tang hummed: "You are thinking about my princess identity and your revenge plan."

Lu Xingzhou blinked.

"The world isn't just you, the only smart person." Shen Tang leaned lazily against the backrest, resting her head: "Use it; this is the only thing I have that you didn't help with. If you don't use it, what face do I have left in front of you?"

Lu Xingzhou laughed dumbly and reached out to grab her foot again: "This isn't it either; can this be used too?"

Shen Tang didn't open her eyes, but her face blushed as bright as the morning clouds.

You're already using it, and you're still asking.

Lu Xingzhou played with her little foot casually, while his other hand held the jade slip Yang Dechang had just given him, his consciousness probing inside.

These political figures are truly ruthless... After using the Incense-Burning Tower, feeling that the other party had no value and might even leak their secrets, they didn't hold back at all when selling them out. This data was so detailed it could almost serve as the Incense-Burning Tower's annual performance review...

He really wanted to leave no blade of grass growing at the Incense-Burning Tower...

As for the weaknesses of the Incense-Burning Tower's mountain-protecting array, Yang Dechang really didn't know, but he described the nature of the array very clearly.

Lu Xingzhou was an expert in arrays himself, so he still had a chance to find a way to break it, but facing a Third-Grade array, it would take time.

Shen Tang felt his hand stop moving, so she secretly opened her eyes a crack and saw Lu Xingzhou setting up an array disk, inserting various small flags into it, as if he were deducing and simulating.

The way he looked when deducing seriously was truly good-looking... and even better when he occasionally frowned in thought.

And so, just watching quietly like this, they traveled all the way to Dongjiang County.

…………

When Xiazhou was both the state capital and the county capital, Dongjiang was merely a subordinate county.

Ever since the spiritual energy in Xiazhou faded, Dongjiang had defied the natural order and become the county capital. It had been exactly one hundred years to this day.

That is to say, in reality, the fact that the Dragon-Tiger Secret Realm was hidden by Mohe to refine the Dragon-Tiger Pill was not that long ago, at least not long ago in this world of cultivation.

The Huo family's prophecy had only been circulating for a few generations.

Mohe, of course, was not some ancient immortal, but merely a person who dreamed of refining an immortal pill to ascend to immortality in one step... Such people had always been common in this world, including the Incense-Burning Tower, though their grade was lower. Mohe was at least First Grade, or even Super Grade, while the Incense-Burning Tower... let's just forget about them...

Therefore, Dongjiang County was very close to Xiazhou, only a few dozen miles away. The group's pace wasn't slow; they left at noon and arrived just at dusk.

The guard team Sheng Yuanyao brought consisted of only a dozen people. Except for the "dogs" who were mixed into the guard team wearing official uniforms, Zhang Shaoyou, Qin Buwang, and the others had all broken into small groups and quietly returned to Dongjiang County, gathering in a large mansion Zhang Shaoyou had privately purchased in Dongjiang County; they had arrived long ago.

Dugu Qingli pushed Shen Tang's wheelchair into the mansion... She was getting more and more annoyed as she pushed. This pair of "dogs" had been playing with feet in the carriage to their heart's content, and as soon as they left the carriage, they pretended to be cripples and made people push them. Dugu Qingli truly couldn't find an accurate adjective to describe such shamelessness; she felt that if this continued, their friendship would soon be gone.

When they entered the mansion, Zhang Shaoyou and a group of people were eating in the courtyard. Seeing Shen Tang enter, they all stood up and saluted: "Sect Master."

Shen Tang looked at these powerhouses who were enemies just last night and were now showing a respectful attitude, and she still felt a bit strange in her heart. She nodded and said: "No need for formalities... How is the situation at the Incense-Burning Tower?"

Zhang Shaoyou said: "The Incense-Burning Tower has recalled its disciples from outside, completely closed the mountain, and activated the mountain-protecting array. I feel there is no opportunity to take advantage of."

Shen Tang smiled: "True Person Yiyang is quite alert."

"He's not alert; he's a coward." Zhang Shaoyou sneered: "Our strength isn't necessarily much higher than the Incense-Burning Tower's, and if we really fought, it's not certain we would lose to them. Closing the mountain completely like this is equivalent to cutting off their own path to development; there will always be a day when they can't keep it closed. Even if I just squat here and wait, I'll kill one every time they come out. Sooner or later, I'll make the Incense-Burning Tower collapse."

"The Incense-Burning Tower has connections outside; dragging this out for years is not appropriate." Shen Tang waved her hand: "Don't be anxious; we might still have help... Everyone, eat first and wait for Elder Lu's signal. Later, we may need to participate in another matter, which might be a prerequisite for the Incense-Burning Tower affair."

Only then did everyone notice that Lu Xingzhou was missing, and the child pushing the wheelchair was also gone: "Elder Lu went to..."

Shen Tang smiled slightly: "He got off the carriage when the City Lord's motorcade passed by the Dongjiang Gang."

Zhang Shaoyou's heart stirred: "Could the Dongjiang Gang cooperate with us?"

"That's hard to say... How can one allow others to snore beside one's bed? Gang Leader Shi of the Dongjiang Gang is a man with aspirations..." Shen Tang sighed: "Lu Xingzhou said that turning a power struggle into a one-on-one fight is the most stupid thing to do. The Incense-Burning Tower's connections were due to external factors, but we can't be that stupid."

Gang Leader Shi Tielong of the Dongjiang Gang was discussing matters with Deputy Gang Leader Wang and others when they heard that "someone from the Demon Suppression Division is visiting." They were all stunned. When they invited the person in, they saw Anuo pushing Lu Xingzhou in leisurely.

"Lu Xingzhou..." Deputy Gang Leader Wang had been to the Heaven-Walking Sword Sect's ceremony and recognized him immediately: "Why are you wearing a Demon Suppression Division uniform?"

Lu Xingzhou said leisurely: "That's another matter; I have something to ask of you all."

Less than a day later, the people of Dongjiang County didn't know that the Incense-Burning Tower had raided the Heaven-Walking Sword Sect and been wiped out; they only knew that the Incense-Burning Tower had inexplicably closed its mountain... Seeing Lu Xingzhou suddenly appear here, they realized things weren't simple.

Shi Tielong raised his hand with a stern expression: "Someone, serve Mr. Lu tea."

"No need for tea... I'll just say a few words and leave; the City Lord still has to attend other events." Lu Xingzhou laughed: "I'll get straight to the point. Your gang attended our ceremony that day, and although you were clearly connected with the Incense-Burning Tower, your performance was completely different. I think perhaps you all have some friction with them, right?"

Shi Tielong coughed dryly: "Mr. Lu, you speak too seriously. We are all neighbors; there are some small unpleasantries, but nothing more. After all, we don't have any industrial conflicts with the Incense-Burning Tower..."

"If there were only conflicts when there were fights, there wouldn't be so much bloodshed in the world..." Lu Xingzhou said leisurely: "Don't blame me for speaking bluntly... First, the Dongjiang Gang is known as the number one gang in Dongjiang County, but because of the existence of the Incense-Burning Tower, isn't your gang a bit unworthy of the name? The various forces in the county don't necessarily all show respect to your gang; this is the fundamental conflict between your gang and the Incense-Burning Tower. After all, one mountain cannot hold two tigers."

Shi Tielong's face sank, and he didn't speak.

Lu Xingzhou laughed: "Secondly, the significance of the existence of gangs and sects is not quite the same... Those who hang out in gangs mainly do it for money and resources. There are many ways to obtain resources; honestly doing business is one, and robbing... is another, and it's faster. As it happens, the Incense-Burning Tower is very rich."

Shi Tielong's cheeks twitched, and he finally said: "I don't understand what Mr. Lu means."

Lu Xingzhou said: "Last night, the Incense-Burning Tower raided our sect and lost all its elites, and many powerhouses defected. Currently, the Incense-Burning Tower is at its weakest, and closing the mountain completely is proof of that. If Gang Leader Shi is interested, you and I can break the Incense-Burning Tower together, and we will split the resources fifty-fifty. What do you think?"

Shi Tielong stood up abruptly, and his chair overturned: "You... are you serious?"

"Of course. Otherwise, why would the Incense-Burning Tower close its mountain? Gang Leader Shi might as well send someone to investigate secretly, and you will know that I am not speaking falsely."

A visible flush of excitement appeared on Shi Tielong's face, and he signaled to those around him. Everyone understood and quickly ran out to investigate.

Shi Tielong smiled awkwardly at Lu Xingzhou and paced back and forth, rubbing his hands: "Attacking a mountain without cause will inevitably lead to interference from the County Governor. How do we solve that?"

"It's mealtime; Gang Leader Shi can eat first." Lu Xingzhou smiled warmly: "Didn't you just ask me why I'm wearing this clothes... I'm going to have a meal with the County Governor. We'll talk after I finish, and I believe I won't disappoint you."

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