Chapter 37: A Grim Reaper from Afar
Li Shan set down his chopsticks, wiped the grease from his mouth with the back of his hand, and said with a puzzled expression, "Brother Yan, you're not short on silver anymore. You could easily throw away these old things. Why are you taking this back to Uncle Chang?"
Li Yu chimed in softly, "That's right, Brother Yan. You're so powerful now, with official rank and wealth. Why are you still so frugal?"
Chen An and Li Yin, who were seated at another table and had been keeping a close eye on Li Yan, had witnessed the exchange. They too looked at him with curiosity. They knew their young master was usually extravagant; why would he bother taking back a used belt today?
Li Yan smiled brightly. "What do you know? This belt was bestowed upon me by my esteemed Master. I'm taking it back so my parents can see it too."
Li Yu's eyes widened in understanding. "I get it! It's like those Imperial Swords the storytellers talk about, right? If any unsolvable problems arise in the village, we can use this to ward off misfortune, right?"
Li Shan nodded vigorously in agreement. Chen An and Li Yin also understood the reasoning. Such practices were common in official circles.
It was common for officials' ancestral homes to display gifts from the current emperor or high-ranking officials, such as mandarin jackets, hairpins, fans, and even Imperial Swords. These items often carried more weight than official proclamations.
Lord Ji was a prominent figure in the region, so any gifts he bestowed would naturally carry more influence than official documents.
Li Yan's decision was impulsive. He had worn this particular belt for several months, and though he had since acquired others, this one had been his longest-serving. Giving it to his parents would serve as a memento.
It was a rash move, and when he noticed Chen An and Li Yin's puzzled expressions, he immediately regretted it. Fortunately, Li Yu's quick thinking and smooth acceptance of the gift inadvertently saved him from having to explain.
"You always know so much, heh heh..." Li Yan chuckled, patting Li Yu's shoulder before glancing at the glaring sunlight outside. He sighed inwardly.
'It's finally beginning. Today might be my last. No matter what, I'll give it my all!'
...
At that moment, tens of thousands of li west of Great Qing Pass, above the Great Qing Mountains, a radiant light streaked eastward across the sky. Within this light flew a shuttle-shaped object, carrying three young men engaged in conversation.
"Senior Brother Wu," the round-faced youth with wide eyes asked, "are you certain the Law Enforcement Team's Senior Brothers have confirmed that the members of the Immortal-Seeking Lineage are within the Imperial Dynasty Territory?"
The man addressed as Senior Brother Wu was lean and Horse-Faced, his dark skin and gloomy expression adding to his sinister appearance. Beside them sat another youth, around twenty years old, with a fair, beardless face and a gentle demeanor. All three wore identical ink-green robes.
From the cuffs of Senior Brother Wu's robe, several brightly colored centipedes occasionally crawled out. They crisscrossed his chest and back before disappearing back into his sleeves. Moments later, they would emerge again, crawl around, and retreat into his sleeves, a sight that sent shivers down the spine. Yet the other two youths on the shuttle seemed completely unfazed.
"Yes, we're here on orders from the Senior Brother of the Law Enforcement Hall. His instructions clearly state that the target is located within the Imperial Dynasty Territory, specifically in Great Qing Pass City, where he serves as the military advisor to the local garrison."
"Once we confirm his identity, we could have executed him immediately. But the Senior Brother explicitly stated that the Law Enforcement Hall Master wants him alive, to be captured and fed to the Soul-Binding Threadworms."
"Ah, the Soul-Binding Threadworms?"
The round-faced youth with wide eyes gasped. That was an incredibly cruel form of torture, and the mere thought of it sent shivers down his spine, turning his face pale.
The gentle youth with a fair, beardless face also froze, his usual composure faltering.
"Senior Brother Wu, are you sure there isn't some mistake? Using such a barbaric method goes against the Dao."
"Hmph! How could I be mistaken? I've confirmed this repeatedly. When I first received these orders, I reacted exactly as you two are now. I can't fathom what those lunatics in the Law Enforcement Hall are thinking."
"Shh! Don't speak ill of the Law Enforcement Hall. Among our several peaks, only Ancestor Wei's lacks an Law Enforcement Hall. The rest are all run by ruthless individuals."
"This isn't something we Qi Condensation Stage disciples should be discussing. If they found out, we'd face dire consequences," the gentle youth said, his expression shifting as he addressed the other two.
The two men's faces also changed upon hearing this, and they quickly dropped the topic. Senior Brother Wu continued, "Originally, this task wasn't meant for us. But with the Five-Year Sect Competition approaching, all the Senior Brothers and Uncle-Masters from our peak's Law Enforcement Hall who are stationed elsewhere will be returning.
That leaves us to handle this. Fortunately, the members of the Immortal-Seeking Lineage aren't particularly strong. They're likely only at the second or third level of the Qi Condensation Stage, or even just the first.
Any one of us could complete this mission alone, given our strength. However, since they want to capture them alive, all three of us must go.
Additionally, we need to retrieve the original copy of our peak's entry-level cultivation manual from them. We must bring it back with us."
The two men nodded in agreement. They had great respect for the methods of the Senior Brothers and Uncle-Masters of the Law Enforcement Hall, whose assessments were always accurate. There was no room for doubt.
Since the person's cultivation realm was stated, it was unlikely he had surpassed the third level of the Qi Condensation Stage. With two of the three pursuers at the ninth level and one at the tenth, they were not just overestimating their target; they were mobilizing an excessive force.
"However, there's another matter," Senior Brother Wu said. "The Senior Brother of the Law Enforcement Hall recently discovered that the Immortal-Seeking Lineage member may have taken on a disciple. This disciple isn't part of the Immortal-Seeking Lineage; he's just an ordinary person with a spirit root that person found. We'll need to capture him as well."
"Oh? Another disciple?" the Gentle Youth asked.
"Yes. We'll capture them both when the time comes," Senior Brother Wu replied with a sinister glint in his eyes.
"That poor fellow," the round-faced youth said with a hint of sympathy. "I wonder what they'll do with him after we capture him? If they punish him by association, he'll truly be a wronged ghost."
As they spoke, the streak of light carrying them sped eastward, their voices fading into the distance.
...
Inside the military camp at Great Qing Pass City, Liu Chengyong paced restlessly in his tent, glancing outside from time to time. He was supposed to be on duty today, but he had received a secret order from the Marshal to wait for Li Yan at the camp after his shift ended.
He was to follow orders to the letter, but it was now past noon, and Li Yan had yet to arrive...
At the marshal's manor, Strategist Ji sat in the main hall discussing matters with Marshal Hong.
"Marshal, why aren't we holding today's military council at the camp?" Ji Wenhe asked, his gaze sweeping over Hong Linying.
"Because the information we received today was just brought back by our spies from the Meng Kingdom's outpost. I believe it's too sensitive to share widely yet. We should discuss it first before convening the generals," Hong Linying replied gravely, taking a sip of tea.
"Oh? What did the spies at the Meng Kingdom's outpost discover?" Ji Wenhe straightened up, mindful of his duty.
"This morning, they reported that the Meng Kingdom is mobilizing large forces from multiple locations and preparing to advance on Fallen Immortal Slope."
Li Yan glanced at the sun outside the window. It was about half a quarter of an hour past noon. He stood up and smiled at Li Shan and Li Yu.
"I need to return now. My cultivation has become increasingly demanding lately, and I might not be able to see you for some time."
Li Shan and Li Yu paid little attention. Everyone in their village knew that Li Yan had become Strategist Ji's disciple and was diligently practicing martial arts, a privilege others envied greatly. They rose to their feet.
"Brother Yan, we understand. We'll explain your situation to the uncles who came from the village."
"Alright, I'm heading back now!"
With that, Li Yan casually tossed a silver ingot onto the table and turned to leave. Chen An and Li Yin hurried after him.
After leaving the tavern, they untied their horses beneath a tree and galloped toward the North City Gate.
They soon arrived at the gate. The soldiers recognized them and immediately saluted, removing the barriers to let them pass unimpeded. By now, nearly every guard in the North City knew Li Yan by sight.
Their journey was smooth. Li Yan worried that Strategist Ji might be delayed and leave later than planned, which would disrupt their carefully timed meeting.
This was why they had lingered in the city for another half a quarter of an hour after noon. Fortunately, his concerns proved unfounded. The road remained clear, and the trio quickly returned to the Military Advisor's Mansion.
After dismounting, Li Yan tossed the reins aside and strolled into the valley. Chen An and Li Yin naturally took care of the horses, and they were in particularly good spirits today.
During their trip to the city, the young master hadn't fallen "ill," nor had he purchased anything beyond a meal. The only purchase he'd made was a belt, which he was still wearing.
As Li Yan entered the valley, he immediately sharpened his senses. He detected no Divine Sense probing the area, which eased his mind slightly.
Without hesitation, he headed straight for the first stone house. The door stood ajar, and he bowed respectfully at the entrance.
"Teacher, this disciple seeks an audience."
After a pause and receiving no response, he stepped inside. He scanned the empty room, confirming its emptiness, and finally relaxed inwardly. He turned and hurried to his own quarters.
Once inside, he swiftly retrieved writing materials. Holding his breath to steady his mind, he began to write.
Before long, he set down the brush, picked up the paper, and scrutinized it repeatedly. Then, with a sharp tear, he ripped it to shreds.
He began rewriting immediately, repeating the process several times. Sweat dripped from his forehead in increasing amounts. After completing the fourth draft, he scrutinized it carefully.
By now, his forehead was covered in a dense layer of sweat. Finally, he exhaled deeply, laid the paper on the table to dry, and turned to burn the torn-up drafts.
Once the paper had burned to ashes, he carefully collected the black ash into a small cloth pouch and tucked it into his robe. He stood up, walked to the water pool, and glanced around to ensure no one was nearby.
He crouched down and scattered the ashes into the flowerbeds surrounding the pool, casually turning over the soil with his hand.
After washing his face in the pool, Li Yan swiftly returned to the stone house. By the time he arrived, the ink on the paper had mostly dried.
He picked up the page, surveyed the room, and checked himself thoroughly to ensure he had nothing else to take. Then, he turned and hurried out. He couldn't be sure how long Hong Linying could stall Ji Wenhe.
When he reached the mouth of the valley, he began calling out for Chen An.
"Chen An! Chen An!"
Chen An was napping, still slightly dizzy from the wine he'd drunk earlier. He had been drifting off to a pleasant sleep.
Chen An had just drifted off to sleep when a familiar voice suddenly called out. He instinctively bolted upright, grabbed his clothes, threw them on, and rushed out the door. Only after he was outside did he realize it was Li Yan who had called him.
An uneasy feeling crept into his heart. He had only just returned; why was Li Yan calling him again? Had his "illness" relapsed?
By the time Chen An reached the valley entrance, Li Yin was already standing before Li Yan, studying a piece of paper in his hand. Chen An hurried to Li Yan's side.
"Young Master, what's the matter?"
Li Yan glanced at him dismissively. "Just read it yourself."
Chen An turned to Li Yin, who wordlessly handed him the paper. Puzzled, Chen An took it and looked at the message.
Scrawled hastily across the page were a few hurried words, clearly written by someone in a great hurry:
"Disciple, upon receiving this letter, proceed immediately to the military camp in the city. Your Master awaits you there. Hurry!"
Chen An recognized Lord Ji's handwriting, though the message was rushed and somewhat illegible. He looked up at Li Yan.
"Young Master, this is a note from Lord Ji."
"No need to state the obvious. Of course I know it's from Teacher. It seems he went to the military camp after we left, and he probably needs me to accompany him on some matter."
With that, he fell silent.
Chen An and Li Yin exchanged glances. Chen An spoke first.
"But... we were still in the city. If something had happened to Lord Ji, he would have surely sent people to search for us everywhere."
"How would I know? You're certainly worrying about things beyond your concern, aren't you?" Li Yan's tone turned hostile.
(Chapter End)