Chapter 463: Arrest

Yan Buji said: "The problem now is, even if we report the matter to the City Lord, the City Lord will likely turn a blind eye, right?"

"Yes, this way it's hardly possible for us scattered investors to fight them." Chen Zhen shook his head.

"If that's the case, we might as well make a bigger fuss."

"Make a bigger fuss?"

"Today I went out for a walk and found that most of the surrounding shops have been extorted by the Enforcement Squad, especially us alchemists, who have been particularly targeted. This naturally draws many eyes on us, but with no one resisting, it only emboldens them. Why not drag more people into the water?" Yan Buji said.

"How... would the surrounding merchants dare to oppose the Enforcement Squad?"

"What about the loose cultivators?"

"Loose cultivators?!"

Hua Xuanzi's eyes lit up: "You mean... we secretly strike at the loose cultivators to stir up public resentment?"

"Although that's true, we must keep it secret. For example, framing them or something—the Enforcement Squad here couldn't possibly ignore it. Once things pile up, I don't believe this bunch could stay meticulously observant."

Chen Zhen hesitated: "This... isn't very good, is it?"

"What's not good about it!" Hua Xuanzi gritted her teeth: "We're all people, all cultivators—just because they're from the Sun Moon Palace doesn't give them the right to do wrong and extort. If the matter blows up, the City Lord won't be able to avoid getting involved, and then the Enforcement Squad won't dare to be so arrogant. As long as we join forces and quietly tell the City Lord, letting the City Lord negotiate with Liu Zi Guang, things will be much calmer thereafter!"

Although this clearly sets a trap for Long Xuan Zhenjun, under wartime management we can't worry about that much.

If we really let Liu Zi Guang extort at will, in the end Long Xuan Zhenjun wouldn't dare to cause trouble for the Liu family, and would instead come looking for trouble with us.

After all, that's just how this world is.

If you just endure it silently, those who bully you can piss and shit on your head!

Better to wait for an opportunity, stir up a big fuss to provoke a dragon-tiger clash, and the problem will naturally find a solution.

After a few days, the three began their covert activities.

Although Yan Buji didn't want to cause trouble, when trouble found him it was natural not to resist.

After all, the worst case is just to run away—he doesn't have a career here like Hua Xuanzi and Chen Zhen do.

Put bluntly, if he didn't know Liu Zi Guang had extraordinary backing and that a Nascent Soul Cultivator holds the fort in the city, he would have slapped Liu Zi Guang to death the moment he tried to extort him.

Of course, doing this would surely bring a pursuit from the Sun Moon Palace, so Yan Buji felt it wasn't worth fighting them to the death.

Who doesn't know how to play dirty tricks?

Thinking that, Yan Buji secretly found some loose cultivators nearby, deliberately injured a few Enforcement Squad cultivators to provoke them into clashing with those loose cultivators.

And Yan Buji watched from the sidelines, squinting as he thought.

"I still need to check on Hua Xuanzi and them—although this plan is ours three, those two might not be trustworthy."

After all, this plan also worries about leaking; if Long Xuan Zhenjun or Liu Zi Guang found out, they'd definitely be arrested, possibly even labeled as saboteurs.

Soon after.

Yan Buji then rushed to the Welcoming Guest Inn, hiding and waiting for Hua Xuanzi and Chen Zhen to return.

Sure enough, they also returned shortly.

The two exchanged a glance, entered, set up a soundproof barrier inside, and began talking.

Yan Buji frowned, quietly crept over and placed a single hand on the door.

Recalling Wei Zixu's seal-breaking method, Yan Buji secretly slipped a thread of his energy into the room; the two didn't notice, so Yan Buji listened in earnest.

"This isn't good, Fellow Daoist Yan's plan may be feasible, but if it's discovered...."

"Given the situation, we can't just sit by while the Enforcement Squad wantonly extorts us—even if the Welcoming Guest Inn is big and prosperous, you still have to consider our interests!" Hua Xuanzi said.

Chen Zhen hesitated, gritted his teeth: "Anyway, we've already done it—I'm not afraid of being discovered later. After all, we still have cooperation with the City Lord's side, and the City Lord will surely protect us. But what about Fellow Daoist Yan's side? If he's exposed, he could be in big trouble."

Hua Xuanzi said lightly: "The plan was proposed by Fellow Daoist Yan; as long as we act covertly, any problems on his side are his own."

"This.... all right."

Yan Buji nodded; it seemed these two had no intention of betraying him.

He also worried that these two might betray him to protect their own interests—after all, Yan Buji had heard that the Welcoming Guest Inn had close ties with the City Lord's side; if they went to plead with the City Lord, he'd end up isolated and helpless.

"Let's go first...."

Just then, Yan Buji suddenly sensed something and immediately hid.

"You two, it's late—why aren't you sleeping?"

A familiar voice came over, and Yan Buji froze.

Liu Zi Guang?!

How did he come here?

Hua Xuanzi and Chen Zhen watched as Liu Zi Guang burst through the door, eyes wide: "Captain Liu, why are you coming over so late?"

"Captain Liu, showing up uninvited isn't good." Chen Zhen also frowned, obviously Liu Zi Guang's behavior was quite rude.

Meanwhile, the moment Liu Zi Guang approached, Yan Buji had already restrained his energy and hid nearby, listening carefully.

Liu Zi Guang sighed: "Gee, tonight is really lively—I saw your lights still on, so I came over to ask. More than ten of my men have been attacked in various places; do you two know anything about that?"

Hua Xuanzi snorted coldly: "What do you mean, Captain Liu? Are you saying the Enforcement Squad's attack means we did it?"

"I didn't say that—just that at the scene, someone claimed to have seen you!"

A large group of Enforcement Squad cultivators rushed in, surrounding the place.

Yan Buji's pupils contracted—he sensed something wrong.

"You!" Chen Zhen pointed at Liu Zi Guang: "What do you want? Before it was extortion, now you're outright slandering us two?"

"Slandering? Hmph!" Liu Zi Guang looked at the wounded behind him; the wounded nodded, stepped forward, covered his wound, and pointed at them:

"Captain, you gotta stand up for me—it's just that they attacked us for no reason!"

"You heard that." Liu Zi Guang wore a mocking expression.

Hua Xuanzi and Chen Zhen widened their eyes: "Evidence?!"

"My men's word is evidence! Take them away—any resistance adds another charge!"

You! Is there any justice left? The Sun Moon Palace is treating us like this?! Chen Zhen roared angrily.

Hua Xuan Xianzi had a cold face, she seized the raging Chen Zhen, and said coldly: "Captain Liu, you'd better have evidence proving we were the ones who acted, otherwise we'll go straight to the Sun Moon Palace's Elder and have him call the shots—let's see if your Sun Moon Palace can now arbitrarily arrest people and arbitrarily pass judgment!"

Liu Ziguang gave a cold snort: "Take them away."

The two were sensible and didn't resist; Yan Buji, hiding in the shadows, roughly understood what was going on.

After everyone had left, Yan Buji then appeared, looking around: "I'm afraid the Sun Moon Palace is also facing a major upheaval—what a mess."

Good, good, good, it's better when there's chaos.