Chapter 956 - 513: Soaring in the Abyss, Without Blame (Part 2)

But sometimes people are just like that.

Wang Daoxuan’s divination occasionally hits the mark once or twice, but he believes it’s some sort of revelation and lets it influence his actions.

By now, Li Yan and the others no longer take it seriously; they just occasionally say a few flattering words to amuse the Daoist.

As for Li Yan, he was teasing that silly donkey to the side.

This silly donkey’s mind isn’t quite right, but its intuition is astounding. When they were in Dragon and Phoenix Ancient Town, it sensed he was leaving and bit through the reins to follow.

Li Yan had no choice but to bring it along.

Fortunately, even though the donkey is dim-witted, it’s rather strong and can carry quite a bit of luggage, freeing up Wu Ba’s hands and feet.

Lv San watched from the side, quite intrigued.

"Brother Yan, this donkey is interesting. It doesn’t understand what I say, but it obeys you implicitly."

"It’s just dumb."

"It’s more than that; this donkey shows its true nature, which is rare..."

The two chatted as they looked outside the pavilion.

After returning to Dragon and Phoenix Ancient Town, they grandly set off for Sui Ning County, planning to first find a place to stay and then go to Guangde Temple.

They had heard about some things but didn’t pay much attention to them.

The Divine Fist Association had some influence in Shan State, with many Martial Arts masters. But in Shu, it’s a different scene.

This is the culture of the port pugilistic world.

Above, there are places like Qingcheng, Emei, and Guangde Temple — these are not just Mystic Sect orthodox schools but also involved in pugilistic businesses, martial arts schools, etc.

For example, among the "Five Flowers and Eight Leaves," there’s the "Eight Leaves."

And at each port, various organizations like the Pai Sect, Brotherhood, and Salt Gang gather like dragons and snakes.

The Divine Fist Association has one foot in the court and one in the pugilistic world, and truly isn’t well-favored.

Despite being unfavored, since it’s a court-involved force in the pugilistic world, none of the major factions want to overly offend it, attracting some ambitious but foundationless people.

But the unlucky part is that Shu also has Cheng Jianxian and the Cheng Family, the number one family in both Martial Arts and the Mystic Sect.

Even the Divine Fist Association leader Huo Yin doesn’t dare to be too presumptuous in front of this Sword Immortal, also one of the Ten Grandmasters.

Therefore, Li Yan really doesn’t care about the Shu Divine Fist Association.

If things escalate, they actually become safer.

The group casually chatted for a while, and seeing that the freezing rain that started at noon finally stopped, they hurriedly prepared to set off.

Tat-tat-tat!

Just then, the sound of horse hooves came from the official road.

Li Yan and the others stopped and looked up.

They saw a team of well-dressed riders approaching on horseback. The horses’ hooves smashed the thin ice just frozen on the road, their attire radiant, their presence imposing.

Woosh, woosh, woosh!

As they neared the pavilion, the riders skillfully dismounted, cupped their hands, and said in unison, "Is this Young Hero Li?"

Li Yan squinted slightly, "Who are you?"

"Replying to the young hero."

The leading rider was a gentlemanly youth with rosy lips and white teeth, a hint of innocence at the corner of his eyes. He respectfully cupped his hands, "I am Luo Jun’an, sent by my aunt to welcome Young Hero Li."

So they were people from the Luo Family...

Li Yan was a bit surprised, "Your Luo Family isn’t settled yet, why bother getting involved in my mess?"

Luo Jun’an cupped his hands and said, "Thanks to Young Hero Li’s fortune, the Du Family has collapsed, and our Luo Family has re-established itself in Yibin. Madam has already gone to Chongqing Prefecture to meet the new Lord Governor."

So that’s how it is...

With that said, Li Yan suddenly understood.

It seems the Luo Family has decided to stand completely with the court, perhaps even connecting with the Lushan Sect.

This visit, besides backing him up, also shows their stance.

"Young Hero Li."

Luo Jun’an continued to cup his hands, "The ceremony at Guangde Temple is lively. Now all the inns in the city are full, but our Luo Family has a residence here. Please follow me."

This Luo Jun’an seemed young but was clearly a well-groomed member of the Luo Family, speaking elegantly and appropriately.

As he knew, during the Luo Family’s crisis, they sold all properties except those in Yibin, so where did this residence come from?

Most likely, they bought it temporarily, fearing he wouldn’t accept the favor.

All shrewd people...

Li Yan sighed inwardly and said nothing more, "In that case, thank you for the trouble."

They had originally thought that if they couldn’t find an inn, they’d camp out in the wild outside the city. Since the Luo Family had arrangements, no one was foolish enough to endure hardship pointlessly.

As dusk approached, the group arrived at Sui Ning County.

Although Sui Ning County was ancient, its size was not particularly large. Passing through the city gate tower, one would find the streets paved with green stones and the bustling and narrow street alleys.

Looking closely, the shopfronts on either side of the street had extended arch columns with tables and chairs for guests to sip tea or play cards.

Even on the coldest of days, there were plenty of tea patrons on the street. Some were puffing on their smoking pipes, blowing clouds of smoke, while others were boiling water for tea and telling stories, creating a leisurely atmosphere with the sounds of the local dialect.

Luo Jun’an bowed his head and explained, "Young Hero Li, please don’t mind. This is Sui Ning County. During the Great Xing Period of the previous dynasty, the north and south were at a standoff, and this place was chaotic, with no authority. The locals built and expanded their eaves on their own."

"A few years ago, a county official attempted to demolish them, nearly sparking a rebellion, and eventually, no one discussed the matter further..."

"It’s somewhat better now. If it were during the busy morning or noon hours, the entire street would be blocked, which is very troublesome."

Li Yan chuckled unexpectedly, "Brother, you seem quite familiar with the customs?"

"Not at all."

Luo Jun’an quickly cupped his hands, "I manage family business affairs and have traveled frequently since childhood, so I’ve heard a lot..."

Before he could finish, he suddenly frowned and looked ahead.

A few men came striding in from the private room. Whether tall or short, they were all stout in stature. Despite the cold, they wore black short attire with palm-wide leather belts around their waists, fitted with copper tiger buckles.

"May I ask if you are Li Yan from Shan State?"

The man leading the group clasped his fists, speaking in an impolite tone.

Luo Jun’an’s face turned cold upon hearing this, and he scolded, "No etiquette, no manners, where did this scoundrel come from!"

When he had arrived, Lady Wu had instructed him to not only support the event but also to restore the reputation of the Luo Family.

When hardness is required, one must not be soft.

"Hmph!"

The man snorted coldly but wasn’t angered, "Good, there’s something for you to take."

With that, he took a letter from his bosom and flicked it out with his hand.

This man was arrogant, and his skills weren’t weak; he used Hidden Energy, so the envelope, well-trimmed as it was, could harm people like flying flowers and fallen leaves.

Whizz!

The envelope flew straight over.

Slap!

Lv San made a gesture, and Wu Ba raised his hand directly to catch the letter without looking at it, then flicked it back in a reverse motion.

Whoosh!

The envelope returned along the same path, accompanied by a piercing whistle.

The man’s expression changed, and he quickly dodged, only to hear a bang behind him as the envelope embedded itself into a pillar.

Wu Ba had long practiced Hidden Energy, lacking only systematic martial arts training, but in terms of strength, most Force Transformation practitioners couldn’t match him.

"What do you mean by this?!"

The man’s face changed dramatically, turning red with anger.

"Nothing much."

Li Yan glanced coolly, "Not every stray cat and dog is qualified to deliver a letter to me. If there’s something to discuss, have your elders come in person."

With that, he turned and left with his group.

This time, he wasn’t afraid of making a big deal out of things.

The more well-known it was, the safer they would be, and it could also divert the attention of Feng Laohai and the Salt Gang.

The real threat lay with the Shu Prince Mansion and the Dragon Worship Sect.

After he left, the man’s originally flushed face instantly returned to normal, losing the swagger he had earlier, and said calmly:

"You all saw that, right? This kid is even more arrogant than the intelligence indicated. You know what to say when you get back, right?"

"Yes, Brother Lu."

Everyone nodded in agreement and quickly left.

Only Brother Lu, watching in the direction Li Yan had disappeared, had a flicker of malice in his eyes as he followed the group at a leisurely pace.

...

The house bought by the Luo Family was indeed not small.

As Luo Jun’an walked, he said, "The house is called ’Ruifu Residence,’ built during the founding of the Great Xuan. The original owner became prosperous and left for the capital, so I took it over..."

Li Yan and the others looked up, observing the house’s strict layout, symmetrical along a central axis, with a plaque bearing the inscription "Abundant Fortune at the Door" hanging on the lintel, its beams and decorative carvings made of intricately carved wood and brick.

It was evidently quite expensive.

After entering through the gate, they found the courtyard spacious, with rockeries and ponds complementing each other, while winding corridors connected the various courtyards. The Luo family’s servants had already tidied up the rooms in advance.

Settling in with their luggage, after a meal, the servants brought hot water to the rooms, allowing everyone to refresh themselves and erase the exhaustion of their journey.

Although Lv San’s secret techniques were used to keep night watch, Li Yan didn’t sleep too deeply and was surprised that no trouble arose throughout the night.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, a visiting card was delivered.

Li Yan took it and immediately showed a look of surprise.

Sha Lifei quickly inquired, "What is it? Is the visitor difficult to deal with?"

"No, it’s an acquaintance."

Li Yan shook his head slightly, instructing the servant to invite the visitor in.

It was none other than a Naval officer from the Captain Bureau who had secretly come to Shu to investigate Zhao Changsheng...