Li Shan put down his chopsticks, wiped the grease from his mouth with the back of his hand, and asked with some confusion, "Brother Yan, you're not short of silver now. You're giving this back to Uncle Chang too?"
Li Yu also added in a low voice, "That's right, Brother Yan. You're so impressive now. You have status and wealth. Why are you still so frugal?"
At the other table, Chen An and Li Yin had also noticed what was happening here when Li Yan stood up. Now they also looked at Li Yan with some confusion. They knew about this young master's spendthrift habits. Why would he be taking back a used belt today?
Li Yan smiled broadly. "What do you two know? This is a belt that my master, his esteemed self, gifted to me. I'm taking this back to let my parents see it."
Hearing this, Li Yu said with sudden realization, "I get it. This is like what the storytellers often say, something like a Shangfang Sword, right? This way, if there's any trouble in the village in the future, we can also use this to fend off some things, right?"
Li Shan also nodded frequently at this. After hearing this, Chen An and Li Yin also understood the reason. This kind of thing was very common in officialdom. Often, in the ancestral homes of some officials, there would be mandarin jackets, hairpins, fans, or even treasured swords gifted by the current emperor or some high officials. Lord Ji was a key figure in this area. Something given by him, when placed in one's ancestral home, was more effective than some official documents.
This was a spur-of-the-moment idea from Li Yan. After all, he had been wearing this belt for a few months. Although he had bought a few more later, he had used this one the longest. Giving this belt to his parents would be a keepsake. This was also a rather impulsive act. When he saw the confused looks on Chen An and Li Yin's faces, he began to regret it. Fortunately, his mind worked fast, and Li Yu's response was also very good, which unintentionally saved him the trouble of explaining.
"You're the one who knows so much, hehe," he said with a laugh, patting Li Yu on the shoulder. He then looked at the sun outside and sighed in his heart. It was finally about to begin. Perhaps today would be the day he died. No matter what, he had to give it his all.
At this moment, high in the sky of the Great Green Mountains, tens of thousands of li away from Green Mountain Pass, a streak of light was flying from west to east from a distance. Within this streak of light was a shuttle-shaped artifact, and on it, three young men were talking.
"Senior Brother Wu, did the senior brothers from the law-enforcement team confirm that the person from the 'Immortal-Seeking Lineage' is within the dynasty's territory?" The speaker was a slightly chubby young man with a round face and large eyes. The person he was asking was a thin young man with a long, horse-like face, dark skin, and a gloomy expression. Next to him was another young man, about twenty years old, with a fair, clean-shaven face and a gentle expression. All three were dressed in dark green long robes.
It was just that on the sleeve of the long robe of the person addressed as 'Senior Brother Wu,' a few centipedes would occasionally crawl out from within. They would crawl up and down his body for a while before drilling back into his sleeve. In a short while, they would crawl out again for another round, and then drill back into his sleeve again. It was enough to make one's scalp tingle, but the other two on the shuttle-shaped artifact seemed not to have noticed at all.
"Yes, we are here on orders from the law-enforcing senior brothers. Their orders state that this person is in a city called Green Mountain Pass within the dynasty's territory, and he is the strategist of the local garrison. After we go there this time, we only need to confirm it again, and then we can kill him. But the law-enforcing senior brothers have indicated that the Law-Enforcement Hall Master wants him alive, to be taken back to feed the Soul-Entangling Silk Worms."
"Ah, the Soul-Entangling Silk Worms?" The young man with the round face and large eyes couldn't help but exclaim in surprise after hearing this. That was an extremely vicious punishment. Just thinking about it made him feel cold all over, his face turning pale. And the other young man with the fair, clean-shaven face, his gentle expression also froze for a moment. He said, "Senior Brother Wu, could there be a mistake? Using such a thing goes against the harmony of the heavens."
"Hmph, how could I be mistaken? I have confirmed this repeatedly. When I received the order, my reaction was no less than yours now. I don't know what these madmen from the Law-Enforcement Hall are thinking."
"Shh, don't discuss the affairs of the Law-Enforcement Hall. Among our few peaks, except for Ancestral Master Wei's peak, which doesn't have a Law-Enforcement Hall, which other peak's Law-Enforcement Hall isn't full of ruthless people? But this is not something we Qi Condensation stage disciples can discuss. Otherwise, if they find out, our end will not be much better," the gentle young man said after his face had changed a little.
Hearing this, the other two's faces also changed, and they did not continue this topic. The 'Senior Brother Wu' then said, "This matter was not originally for us to do. But with the five-year great competition within the sect this time, those few law-enforcing senior brothers and senior uncles from our peak who are outside all have to go back. Now this matter has been handed over to us. But fortunately, the cultivation of that person from the 'Immortal-Seeking Lineage' is not very high, probably at the second or third layer of Qi Condensation, or even the first layer. With our strength, even one of us could complete this mission. It's just that they want to capture him alive, so they sent the three of us together."
The other two nodded after hearing this. They still admired the methods of the law-enforcing senior brothers and senior uncles. Their information had always been very accurate. They had no doubts. Since they had stated the person's realm, it was likely that the highest he could be was the third layer of the Qi Condensation stage. With two of them at the ninth layer of the Qi Condensation stage and one at the tenth layer, it was not just an overestimation of that person; it felt like a bit of an over-mobilization of forces.
"However, there is one more thing. The law-enforcing senior brothers said that a senior uncle has recently discovered that that person from the 'Immortal-Seeking Lineage' might have also taken a disciple. But this disciple is not from the 'Immortal-Seeking Lineage,' just a mortal with a spirit root that this person found in the mortal world. Then this disciple of his must also be captured and brought back," Senior Brother Wu said again.
"Oh? There's also a disciple?" the gentle young man asked.
"Yes, we'll just capture them together then," Senior Brother Wu said with a sinister look in his eyes.
"Then this person is quite pitiful. After being captured and brought back, who knows what will be done with him? If he is implicated, he will truly be a ghost who died unjustly," the round-faced young man said with a sympathetic expression.
As they spoke, this streak of light had already sped eastwards, and the sound of their conversation also grew more and more distant.
In the military camp in Green Mountain Pass, Liu Chengyong was pacing back and forth in his barracks, looking outside from time to time. He was supposed to be on duty today but had received a secret order from the Marshal to change his shift and wait for Li Yan in the army, to act according to orders when the time came. It was already past noon, but that Li Yan had still not come.
In the Marshal's Residence, Strategist Ji was sitting in the main hall, discussing matters with Marshal Hong.
"Marshal, why are we not discussing matters in the army today?" Ji Wenhe glanced at Hong Linying and asked lightly.
"Oh, because today's matter is from a spy who has just returned from the State of Meng's outpost. I feel that it is not yet appropriate for too many people to know about this matter, so we will discuss it first, and then decide with the other generals," Hong Linying said with a serious expression, taking a sip of tea.
"Oh? Then what has the spy from the State of Meng's outpost discovered?" Ji Wenhe also sat up straight after hearing this. After all, he still had to do his job in his position.
"This morning, a message came from there that the State of Meng will be transferring a large army from several other places in the near future..."
Li Yan looked at the sun outside the window. It was about a quarter of an hour past noon. He stood up and smiled at Li Shan and Li Yu. "I have to go back. My cultivation has been getting tighter recently, and I probably won't be able to see you for some time."
Li Shan and Li Yu didn't mind hearing this. They, and the entire village, knew that Li Yan had become Strategist Ji's disciple and was cultivating martial arts diligently. They also stood up. "Brother Yan, we know. We will also tell the uncles who come from the village about your situation."
"Mm, then I'm off," he said. He then threw a silver ingot on the table, turned, and walked outside. Chen An and Li Yin also quickly followed.
After the three of them left the inn, they untied their horses under the tree, mounted, and galloped towards the north city gate. In a short while, they arrived at the entrance of the north city gate. The soldiers there saw that it was them, gave a salute, and moved the obstacle blocking the road to let them go. Now, there were few among the few squads of guards on duty at the north gate who did not recognize this figure, Li Yan.
The road was very smooth. Li Yan was worried that Strategist Ji might be delayed by some matter and come out late, and that he might run into him, which would be bad. This was also the reason why he had delayed for another quarter of an hour in the city after noon. But fortunately, these worries were unnecessary. The journey was uneventful, and the three of them soon returned to the Strategist's Manor.
After dismounting, Li Yan threw the reins and walked slowly into the valley. Chen An and Li Yin naturally went to take care of the few horses. And today, they were also very relieved. Besides having a meal and a drink in the city, this young master had not had a fit, nor had he gone to buy anything else. Oh, if you had to say he bought something, it was just a belt, which was still tied around his waist.
After entering the valley, Li Yan immediately raised his spirits. However, he did not detect any divine sense probing out, which made him feel a little relieved at first. Then he did not hesitate and walked straight to the first stone house. The stone house door was not closed. He came to the front of the door and bowed. "Teacher, disciple requests an audience." After a pause, there was no reaction from the room. He then walked into the room. After entering the room, he looked around inside. There was no one. He let out a long sigh of relief and then turned and walked quickly towards his own room.
After entering his room, he quickly took out a brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone. After holding his breath and focusing his mind, he composed himself and began to write on it. In a short while, he put down his brush, picked up the paper, and looked at it repeatedly. He then tore it up with a "swish" and began to write again. After repeating this three or four times, the sweat on his head was increasing. After he finished writing for the fourth time, he looked at it carefully again. At this time, the sweat on his head was dense. Finally, he let out a long breath, placed the paper on the table to dry, and then turned and lit the few pieces of paper he had just torn. He then carefully put the black ashes into a small cloth bag and put it in his robes. He stood up and went to the side of the pool. After looking around again to make sure there was no one, he scattered the black ashes into the flower garden around the pool and casually turned over the soil a few times.
He washed his face in the pool and then quickly turned back to the stone house. When he returned, the ink on the paper was basically dry. He picked it up, looked around the room again, and then at himself, making sure there was nothing to take. Then he turned and walked quickly outside. He was not sure how long Hong Linying could hold up Ji Wenhe.
When he arrived at the mouth of the valley, he called out for Chen An. Chen An was taking a nap. He had drunk some wine just now and was a little dizzy. He was just about to have a good sleep. Just as he entered his dream, he suddenly heard a familiar voice. He jumped up reflexively, grabbed his clothes, and put them on as he ran out. It was only after he came out the door that he realized it was Li Yan calling him. He couldn't help but feel uneasy. He had just come back. Why was he being called again? Had he had a fit again?
When he came to the front of the valley, Li Yin was already standing in front of Li Yan, looking at a piece of paper in his hand. He walked a few steps to Li Yan. "Young Master, what is it?"
Li Yan glanced at him. "You'll know when you see it."
Chen An looked at Li Yin as instructed. Li Yin didn't say anything and handed the paper in his hand to Chen An. Chen An took it with some confusion and then looked at it. A few words were scribbled on it. It seemed to have been written by someone in a hurry. "Disciple, come to the military camp in the city as soon as you see this. I will be waiting for you in the camp."
Chen An saw that this was Lord Ji's handwriting. It was just a little sloppy because it was written in a hurry. He looked up at Li Yan. "Young Master, this is a note from Lord Ji."
"Nonsense. Of course I know this is a note from my teacher. He must have gone to the military camp on some business after we went out. He probably wants me to go with him for some things," he said, and then fell silent.
Chen An and Li Yin looked at each other. Chen An said, "But, we were in the city. If Lord Ji had something to do, he would have sent someone to find us."
"Then I don't know. You're quite the busybody, aren't you?" Li Yan's tone began to become unfriendly.