Chapter 96 The Daoist Goes Out - Take Down! Arrest Them All!
"Taoist, I was reckless last night,"
"Today I've prepared a modest dinner and hope that the Taoist can honor me with his presence and forgive my error."
As soon as Yi Chen descended, Shen Hong immediately approached with a jovial smile, inadvertently opening a small crack in the wooden box he was holding.
Golden Legend~
Inside were ten small yellowfish.
A smile crept onto Yi Chen's face, and he nodded silently in approval.
Not bad, this Shen Hong is capable.
As they say, punish the past and be cautious in the future, heal the sick and save the people.
We must give the young boss a chance to correct his mistakes.
Yi Taoist is always magnanimous.
He immediately bowed slightly with a smile and said, "Shopkeeper Shen's sincerity is deeply felt. If I were to refuse repeatedly, it would make me seem unapproachable. Please, Shopkeeper Shen~"
"Taoist, please~"
After a bit of back-and-forth, Yi Chen was finally the first to take a seat.
Shen Hong eagerly poured Yi Chen a cup of fragrant monkey wine and gently pushed the wooden box toward Yi Chen.
"Shopkeeper Shen, what is this for? I don't take rewards without meriting them," Yi Chen asked, feigning ignorance.
The necessary procedures must still be followed.
Otherwise, it would be undignified.
Shopkeeper Shen sighed, and said, "Taoist, please allow me to report that my mother has always revered the Dao, and I am the same. Unfortunately, in these times, there are many who are unworthy. Yesterday, upon witnessing the Taoist's majestic Dharma Aspect, I felt delighted. Hence, today I specifically brought a little offering, requesting the Taoist to pass it on in honor of Daozun, to promote the great Dao, and to cleanse the evil mists."
"Rest assured, Taoist, though my store is small, as long as the Taoist is here for a day, you need not worry about food and lodging. All provisions shall be undertaken by Shen Hong alone, and I sincerely hope that the Taoist will not refuse, as it represents my commitment to the Dao."
Yi Chen glanced at Shen Hong across from him, noting his earnest speech and sincere expression.
Lying without a change in expression, he even deceives himself.
This Shopkeeper Shen is truly talented.
Much more perceptive than Head Constable Sun ever was.
Yi Chen mused internally.
"Well, since Shopkeeper Shen has a heart directed toward the Dao, I shall accept."
With a sweep of his sleeve, the small wooden box on the table was absorbed into his storage ring.
Ever since receiving the storage ring from Qian Yueru last night, Yi Chen had played with it early on and had mastered its use.
He lifted his cup and drank it all in one go.
Seeing this, Shen Hong's expression brightened with joy.
This matter was settled.
He tactfully stood up to take his leave, exhibiting astute awareness.
Little Miao had slinked off somewhere early in the morning, so Yi Chen was left to have breakfast alone.
Thus, he indulged in his meal while awaiting the arrival of Qian Yueru's envoy.
Before long, a young man in his thirties dressed in flying-fish attire sat down across from Yi Chen.
"Are you saying that the Longjiang Prefecture's South City is entirely under the watch of just the two of us by the intention of the Governor Qian?"
Yi Chen widened his eyes as he stared at the somewhat delicate-looking young man before him, suddenly feeling the pork knuckle in his hand lose its appeal.
In that moment, he considered Qian Yueru, who seemed a bit of a simpleton the night before, as being rather cunning.
This was asking the Daoist to work a 996 schedule.
"Exactly, Governor Qian said taskforces are stretched thin now. With the Taoist's cultivation, natural ability entails more work. If anything suspicious is detected, I, Mo Yu, can convey it for coordinating the dispatch of reinforcements. Here is the latest intelligence report on South City. The adult may wish to examine it," stated Mo Yu seriously.
Yi Chen: "..." And they've assigned me an assistant named after slacking off.
Suddenly, Yi Chen lost his appetite for food and quickly glanced over the intelligence report handed to him by Mo Yu.
A minute later, Yi Chen chose to give up.
What's the point in looking?
It's valuable to recognize one's limits. Expecting to outperform the professionals at the local Security Bureau and the Yamen, who hadn't found any leads, would mean overestimating his mediocre investigative skills and challenging others in their own area of expertise.
If one approach is blocked, take another; a person should play to their strengths and avoid their weaknesses.
He was a man with a reflective mind.
Instantly, Yi Chen had a plan.
"Mo Yu, gather a couple of subordinates, we're going out on patrol."
"Sir, aren't you going to study the intelligence report?" Mo Yu frowned slightly, seemingly frustrated with his new superior.
At first glance, this Daoist looked like a brute. Upon closer inspection, he was even less than he appeared to be.
Without analyzing the plethora of intelligence to discern the current situation of South City, to anticipate the next focal point of the evil spirits' attack for increased vigilance, and to find the hiding places of these demonic beings—what skill is there in mere patrolling?
He couldn't understand the thoughts of those higher up. To properly maintain the security of the entire South City, it was not about finding someone who could fight but someone with a clear head.
With such a vast area, they would end up being led around like dogs.
He wanted to persuade further and offer some of his own ideas, but quickly chose to relent under Yi Chen's gaze.
It was an indescribable feeling of being targeted by a top predator; every hair on his body stood on end, and due to his unique cultivation technique, this sensation was exceptionally sharp.
"Sir, I'll call for people right away," Mo Yu quickly ran off.
Before long, the Daoist, along with Mo Yu and two subordinates, were patrolling the streets.
Yi Chen's brow furrowed as he stopped in front of a melon stall.
"Shopkeeper, how much are you selling these melons for?"
"Twenty copper coins per pound."
"Twenty copper coins a pound? That's quite expensive, isn't it?"
Yi Chen sneered, moving with lightning speed. With the swiftness of a bell's toll, he quickly snapped the stall owner's neck.
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He wasn't killing indiscriminately; through his reflective mind, he could see the deep sockets around the man's eyes, the darkened brow, and two giant panda eyes.
He could see through the truth at a glance.
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This is someone unlucky enough to have become possessed by an evil spirit.
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Mo Yu: "....."
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Fanzi: "..."
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Vendors who were still selling in the street instantly moved ten meters away from Yi Chen.
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"Sir...."
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"What 'sir'? Can't you see that this is an evil spirit right before your eyes? Are you waiting for Taoist Yi to come and invite you out, you damn thing?" With a raise of Yi Chen's eyebrows, he brushed a pale blue Pure Yang Inner Qi across the corpse, which the ghost shadow couldn't withstand and wailed as it ran out.
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It was tainted with pale blue flames, igniting and burning it like a relentless ulcer that eats away at the bone.
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The crowd's color changed in an instant.
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Mo Yu stepped forward and searched through the body of the melon seller, finding a blood-colored talisman folded into a triangle hanging around his neck.
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"A Guiyang talisman?" Mo Yu exclaimed in shock.
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A Guiyang talisman is a sinister talisman drawn by masters of the evil path, and when matched with a wearer, it can mimic the yang energy of a living person. Without a charm to detect evil close at hand, and just by sensing, those who have not specially trained in unique eye techniques would find it very difficult to recognize at first glance.
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Mo Yu looked at Yi Chen with some admiration. The Daoist invited by the Prefectural Commander seemed to have some real skills, perhaps he truly could bring peace back to South City.
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Just a minor ghost only brought ten Deep Red Points to Yi Chen.
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It seems this unfortunate fellow was looking for new bodies to possess, searching for its next victim, and then it ran into Yi Chen, akin to a living Yama King.
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"Such a weak spirit being able to get into the city."
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Yi Chen stroked his smooth chin, and for a moment thought a great deal.
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It looked like a big fish had made its way to South City of Longjiang Prefecture, for without the concealment of a big fish, these ghostly things being able to come in with these pieces of garbage, wouldn't even get through the city gate.
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Moreover, there was cooperation with evil cultivators – a Guiyang talisman is not something an ordinary cultivator can refine.
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It seems that forces like the Yellow Springs Sect, Hongfang, and Yin Mountain Prefecture had temporarily formed an alliance.
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But it didn't matter, no matter how deep they hid, Yi Chen would chop off all their tentacles and see how well they could still sit comfortably.
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Little by little makes much, and a pile results from accumulation.
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Even a mosquito leg is still meat.
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Ten Deep Red Points gathered in the basket is still harvest!
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Yi Chen's mind raced with thoughts, and in an instant, he made a decision.
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For the life and property safety of the people in South City of Longjiang Prefecture, Taoist Yi Chengzi would need to work some overtime.
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As this thought crossed his mind, his expression became solemn, and with an air of integrity, he said:
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"Mo Baihu, issue the order, call the people from the government office over, and assemble by district."
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"Everyone must be screened!"
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"If someone notices anything unusual about their neighbors recently, they can denounce them on the spot. Once it's confirmed that there is an evil spirit, a reward of twenty taels of silver will be given."
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"The silver, you ask from Prefectural Commander Qian~"
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It was time to let the evil spirits and demons witness the vast ocean of people's war.
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Mo Yu happily took the order and set out while Yi Chen continued patrolling the streets with the remaining fanzis.
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He intended to catch the group of evil spirits off guard.
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Suddenly, the whole South City of Longjiang Prefecture blew up into a state of chaos~
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"You're an evil spirit—kill!"
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"You're also an evil spirit—kill~"
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"How come you three female ghosts are so ugly~"
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"One looks like it's made of paper~"
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"One looks like it's been blown up with fireworks~"
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"One looks like it's been run over by a car~"
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"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
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On that day, the evil spirit forces of the entire South City suffered a heavy blow.
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A strong Daoist leading a group of fanzis, as if injected with chicken blood, plowed through one-sixth of the entire South City.
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In just one morning, Yi Chen earned fifty Deep Red Points.
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Especially when he raided the Rabbit Pavilion, it was outrageous. In one fell swoop, he caught three female ghosts possessing the bunnies there, apprehending them before they could even entertain guests.
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He couldn't understand it, but he was profoundly shocked.
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Unconsciously, noon had arrived, and Yi Chen was just about to take a group of his fanzis to lunch when a clamor reached them.
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It was a pleasant-sounding woman's voice.
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"Stop fighting, you all~"
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"You're going to beat someone to death."
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Yi Chen frowned and led the people to the front.
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There, in front of a tofu stand, the flag of Wenjun Tofu fluttered in the wind.
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A fair-skinned scholar was being beaten on the ground by three sallow-faced men.
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A beautiful woman with attractive features was anxiously pulling at the three sallow-faced men beating the scholar but was groped in the chest by one of the men and pushed to the ground.
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"Taoist, I have made inquiries."
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"It's these three sheepherders. They were drinking douhua at the Tofu Xishi's stand when the Tofu Xishi's husband saw the sheep herders' dozen or so sheep under the sun, sticking out their tongues, barely alive, and felt very sorry for them, so he brought over a basin of water to offer help by watering the sheep."
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"These sheepherders have bad tempers and accused him of trying to steal their sheep, hence the conflict."
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"Such a trifle, let the government office deal with it."
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A sharp fanzi had quickly gathered this information from the surroundings and explained to Yi Chen.
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"Deal with it? How can the government office people handle such a thing?" Yi Chen looked at the fanzi with surprise, then shouted:
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"In broad daylight, they dare to beat someone right in front of me."
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"I dare not even think about the things they could do behind the scenes."
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"All units, take them down!"
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"Take them down!"
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