Knife splashing

Chapter 753 Soul Chasing in the Desolate Temple, Infighting in the Prison

Call ~
Suddenly, a strong wind arose outside the open woodland, and fallen leaves flew everywhere.

As the gust of wind subsided, Li Yan and Fatty Lin were revealed to be there.

Li Yan quickly tore off the armor, and before it even hit the ground, it turned into a ball of fire with a whoosh.

As for Fatty Lin, he swayed unsteadily and then vomited all over the ground with a loud "whoosh".

Li Yan shook his head slightly after seeing this.

In his urgency to save lives, his "Northern Emperor's Divine Speed ​​Technique" was indeed a bit faster.

Looking up, one sees only sparse moonlight and a dilapidated temple standing alone outside the village.

The already low courtyard wall has long since collapsed, leaving only half of the mottled gate, which leans crookedly towards the night sky.

The temple gate was nowhere to be seen; the empty door frame was pitch black.

A large hole had collapsed in the roof, and moonlight leaked through the breach, illuminating the dilapidated stone statue inside the temple. It was missing its arms and head, with only half of its decaying body remaining, just like any other dilapidated temple.

However, Li Yan frowned slightly and gestured for Fatty Lin to hide to the side.

"There are people in the temple, and their kung fu is not bad."

He could smell a faint, lingering stench of blood in the temple, hidden in the darkness behind the statues.

Despite his best efforts to hide it, he could not conceal it from her supernatural powers of smell and hearing.

Li Yan pretended not to know and walked into the temple step by step.

Thick dust covered the temple, there were traces of wiping in front of the statues, and the fire had just been extinguished and was still smoldering.

"Ugh——!"

A fierce gust of wind suddenly erupted from the dark, dead corner behind the statue!
A dark figure shot out like a catapult, its legs kicking and slashing like steel whips in mid-air. The force of the kicks stirred up the dust on the ground. The leg techniques were swift and tricky, aimed directly at Li Yan's waist, abdomen and lower body.

It was incredibly powerful, each kick accompanied by a sharp, piercing sound.

Foot poking?

Li Yan's pupils contracted slightly, but his expression remained normal.

He neither dodged nor evaded, his feet firmly planted like an old tree, his waist and stance perfectly aligned. He raised his left hand, as if sealing or closing, and with a series of crisp, drum-like "snap" sounds, he accurately blocked the opponent's leg bone or ankle.

He forcefully intercepted and easily neutralized the powerful, continuous leg strikes.

By the moonlight, the attacker revealed his form:
A middle-aged beggar, dressed in rags, with a sallow complexion but piercing eyes and an unusually stable stance.

Seeing that his sneak attack had failed, surprise flashed in his eyes, but he continued his movements and launched another series of kicks.

The force was heavier, each move deadly; clearly, the intention was to defeat Li Yan before he could regain his footing.

"It's not over?"

Li Yan frowned slightly, then suddenly changed his palm into a claw, seizing the moment when the opponent's old move was not yet fully developed, and struck out like lightning, aiming at the "Sanyinjiao" acupoint on the opponent's left ankle.

This strike was as fast as a ghost and as powerful as a thunderbolt, a true example of the Red Fist grappling technique.

The beggar suddenly felt a sharp pain and numbness in his ankle, and most of the strength supporting his body was lost, causing him to lose his balance and lean forward.

He realized he was in trouble and twisted his waist and abdomen in mid-air, desperately trying to change his move to save himself.

But would Li Yan give him that chance?
The eagle claws gripped firmly, and with a forceful pull and twist, it created a powerful grip.

Bang!
With a muffled groan, the man fell heavily to the ground, raising dust in the air.

His eyes finally showed shock as he looked at Li Yan's youthful appearance, finding it hard to believe.

He tried to move again, but the sharp pain from his internal organs told him that he had suffered internal injuries.

Li Yan ignored him and strode forward, grabbing the pottery gourd from the stone statue's hand.

Like many rare and precious materials, this thing looks inconspicuous and contains hidden spiritual energy. If it weren't for Fatty Lin's ability to detect the aura of treasures and his wandering spirit state, it probably wouldn't have been noticed even if it were right in front of him.

Seeing Li Yan take the gourd, the man on the ground's expression changed drastically. "Who exactly are you?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the sound of rushing wind rustling through the air outside the temple gate.

Li Yan suddenly turned around, holding the gourd in his hand, and looked warily toward the door.

A figure appeared in the moonlight and landed in the open space in front of the temple.

The newcomer was a man of slender build, dressed in a scholar's robe; he was none other than Master Zhao Tong, who had come in pursuit.

He had clearly used some kind of escape technique to catch up, and the surrounding winds had not yet subsided.

Seeing Li Yan's wary look, Zhao Tong did not step forward.

He knew that Li Yan must have found the lost soul of Manager Kong.

Since it concerned the truth behind the Duke Yansheng's death, he didn't want to cause any further trouble.

Then, his gaze was drawn to the beggar.

Under the moonlight, although the other person was dressed as a beggar and deliberately made to look dirty, their face shape and eyes remained unchanged.

Zhao Tong immediately took out a picture from his pocket, opened it to confirm its contents, and his eyes turned cold. "Li Qi, the Shadowless Kick, so you were hiding here!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yan immediately understood.

He remembered clearly that on the night of the incident involving the Duke of Yansheng, a family retainer from Kong Zhenlin's side mysteriously disappeared. His name was Li Qi, the Shadowless Kick. It seemed that this matter was not simple.

Upon being exposed, Li Qi turned deathly pale. Unable to move due to internal injuries, he hardened his eyes with determination, gritted his teeth, raised his head, and slammed it hard against the ground.

He's a master of internal energy; this blow will definitely smash his brain.

However, a sudden gust of wind blew in her ears, and then everything went black before her eyes, and she fainted.

However, Zhao Tong outside the door flicked out a copper coin dart, knocking him unconscious.

"Hand this person over to me."

Zhao Tong, the Master Zhao, looked at Li Yan and asked, "Why don't you go and rescue them?"

"can."

Without saying a word, Li Yan strode out and, with Fatty Lin in tow, used his speed-shifting technique to leave once more.

After watching him leave, Zhao Tong strode into the dilapidated temple, ignoring the unconscious Li Qi, the Shadowless Kick, on the ground, and carefully searched every corner.

This "Shadowless Kick" technique by Li Qi was definitely not something he planned alone.

He needed to find out exactly who was targeting the Kong family...

…………

Inside the room, the candlelight flickered dimly.

In the open space in the center of the room, two square tables were put together to form a bed.

Manager Kong was placed on top, surrounded by red ropes with copper coins hanging from them, used to lock his soul.

"By imperial decree, the universe is swept clean; the twenty-eight constellations, arranged in a seven-star array, the universe awakens the Dipper, the flying wolf of Qian..."

Wang Daoxuan chanted a soul-stabilizing incantation and made hand seals, placing the gourd on top of Manager Kong's head.

Suddenly, a gust of wind arose in the room, the candlelight flickered, and a chill descended.

The moment his soul returned to his body, Manager Kong convulsed violently a few times, his eyelids stopped trembling, and his breathing returned to normal.

After doing all this, Wang Daoxuan finally breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the fine sweat from his forehead: "It's done! The soul has returned to its place, and the soul-soothing technique has taken effect. Manager Kong suffered a great loss of vitality and his mind was severely damaged. He will need to sleep for at least two or three days to slowly recover his senses. During this time, he needs to rest quietly and should not be disturbed."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Kong Shangzhao rushed to his father's bedside. Seeing his father's thin and haggard appearance but steady breathing, tears silently streamed down his face. He bowed deeply to Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan, his gratitude overflowing.

After settling Manager Kong in, everyone returned to the front hall.

The atmosphere was momentarily somber, yet also carried a sense of relief.

"Damn it, after all this trouble, we finally got him back." Sha Lifeng took a swig of cold tea and broke the silence. "The waters of Jinan Prefecture are really murky!"

Kuai Dayou crossed his arms and sneered, "I've learned something new this time. I heard how powerful the Kong family was in the capital, but now they're fighting amongst themselves, it's a life-or-death struggle. And who killed that Duke Yansheng? And who is Li Qi working for?"

He and Sha Lifei were both talkative and kindred spirits. Fatty Lin laughed and said, "Who cares! We're here to stop by for a meal and a rescue along the way, not to solve a case. Let the Kong family's petty squabbles go on. Once Manager Kong wakes up and clears his name, the rest is none of our business."

Li Yan sat at the table, his knuckles lightly tapping the surface, his eyes calm: "Fatty Lin is right. The internal strife within the Kong family involves a complex web of vested interests, and there may be even deeper forces involved behind the scenes. Our purpose here is clearly Mount Tai. Once this matter is settled, we will set off immediately!"

…………

Deep inside the Jinan Prefectural Government's prison, the interrogation room was crowded and stuffy.

Both factions of the Kong family had gathered, coldly observing each other.

The torches crackled, and the atmosphere became somewhat tense.

Kong Zhenyuan, dressed in a brocade robe, stood at the front, his gaze as sharp as a knife fixed on the ashen-faced Kong Zhenlin opposite him. He clasped his hands in a gesture of respect to the surroundings and sneered, "All the elders have seen this! Li Qi is a retainer and personal bodyguard of Zhenlin's cousin's family, who has been supported by the family for many years!"

"Now that he's been caught red-handed, he was seriously injured and fled, but was captured in the dilapidated temple, and a soul-binding evil weapon was found on his body! Isn't this irrefutable evidence? My father's tragic death in the ancestral hall is inextricably linked to him!"

"Nowadays, trying to absolve oneself with a simple 'oversight' is unlikely to convince the public, is it?"

"To condone a servant's plot to harm the clan elder—such a stain! How can he possibly covet the position of Duke Yansheng?"

"What nonsense!"

Kong Zhenlin was so angry that he trembled all over. He took a step forward, almost bumping into Kong Zhenyuan, and pointed at the other man's nose, shouting angrily: "Kong Zhenyuan! Stop making false accusations! Li Qi entered the manor in his early years. I took him in because I saw that he was good at martial arts, and he has never had any bad deeds since then."

"Who doesn't know that you, Kong Zhenyuan, are determined to oust my family? Now you've only caught a servant, yet you try to twist the truth and pin the heinous crime of plotting against the clan elder and causing chaos in the family on my head. Do you think all the elders here are blind and deaf?"

"Someone must have framed me! Guards! Give me severe torture!"

"I want to see who's really behind this!"

At the same time, several Kong family stewards behind him also joined in the commotion, showing a strong urge to rush forward and attack.

"presumptuous!"

"This is absolutely outrageous!"

"Quiet! Everyone be quiet!"

Chaos erupted inside the hall, with curses and rebuttals rising and falling.

The Jinan prefect and several local elders standing at the head of the table all shook their heads in silence.

Although the deceased Duke Yansheng could not be considered a virtuous man, he was still very particular about propriety.

Unexpectedly, the Kong family has fallen into such turmoil after his death.

Of course, they didn't want to get involved in this mess easily.

"enough!"

A sharp shout, like a thunderclap, silenced all the noise.

Zhao Tong stepped between Kong Zhenyuan and Kong Zhenlin, his imposing aura forcing them to retreat.

His face was ashen, and his gaze swept across the entire room, causing everyone to instinctively avoid his sharp edge.

The prefect and the elders secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"The Duke Yansheng has suffered such a calamity, his body is barely cold. The entire clan should unite as one to investigate the truth and comfort the spirit of the deceased in heaven! What kind of decorum is this, shouting in court and resorting to private torture! Do you even care about the reputation of the Confucius family?"

Zhao Tong's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

"This matter involves the bloodline of the Kong family and is also related to the peace and stability of the region. The law and justice will prevail. The reason I have gathered you all here today is to interrogate this person in public and clarify the situation, not to have you argue endlessly here!"

"Anyone who disrupts the court proceedings again, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

The interrogation room finally fell silent, with only the crackling of the burning torches and heavy breathing remaining.

Kong Zhenyuan's expression shifted between light and dark, while Kong Zhenlin, panting heavily, glared fiercely at the person opposite him.

All eyes were on Li Qi.

“Li Qi,” Zhao Tong walked up to Li Qi, his voice steady, “You have been supported by the Kong family for many years. Where were you when the Duke Yansheng was murdered? Why did you kill the Duke Yansheng? Who ordered you to commit the crime?”

"What is your purpose? Explain it in detail, and perhaps your guilt may be mitigated."

Li Qi kept his head down, like a wooden or clay sculpture, ignoring Zhao Tong's question without even lifting his eyelids.

No matter how Zhao Tong questioned him, he remained like an ancient well, even closing his eyes, looking as if he was waiting to die.

A barely perceptible hint of smugness flashed across Kong Zhenyuan's face, as if to say, "Look, a suicide squad member."

Kong Zhenlin was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead, but he was helpless.

After a long silence, a glint flashed in Zhao Tong's eyes, and he abruptly changed the subject: "Fine, if you won't tell me, then I'll ask you something else."

He slowly paced forward, stopping beside Li Qi and looking down at him: "According to my investigation, your place of origin is listed as Pingdu Prefecture, Shandong Province, but upon further verification, I discovered something amiss..."

Zhao Tong's voice grew more imposing, "You're actually from a small village called Lijia'ao at the foot of Laoshan Mountain, right?"

"Why did you hide your origins in the register? Who helped you erase them?"

"Are you afraid people will find out about your past connection with Laoshan?"

"You infiltrated the Kong family, were you perhaps instructed by someone?"

"Is it because of Laoshan... that they're targeting the Kong family?"

A barrage of questions followed, like a sudden storm.

This is an interrogation technique; as long as Li Qi denies it, Zhao Tong can make a general judgment.

"Laoshan?!"

"Lijia'ao? Isn't that right next to Xiaqing Palace?"

"The Taoist priests from Xiaqing Palace? Could it be them..."

"Wow—"

Zhao Tong's question was like pouring a ladle of cold water into a pot of boiling oil.

The interrogation room, which had been tense just moments before, instantly erupted into chaos.

The Kong family members, whether they were from Kong Zhenyuan's faction or Kong Zhenlin's faction, and even the elders and the prefect, all showed expressions of surprise, anger, and even fear.

The Xiaqing Palace in Laoshan is a major Taoist temple in Shandong Province, with a profound influence among the people.

If this matter is involved, the nature of the situation changes completely!
The crowd speculated and discussed angrily, their eyes filled with fear and suspicion.

However, amidst the clamor and angry stares, no one noticed that Kong Zhenyuan, standing at the front of the crowd, swayed almost imperceptibly when he heard the words "Lijia'ao".

His previously aggressive expression froze instantly, followed by a flash of panic and fear in his eyes.

His gaze quickly shifted away from Li Qi, and he subconsciously lowered his head to hide his pale face.

The interrogation ended hastily amidst Li Qi's stubborn silence and a general sense of unease.

Kong Zhenyuan did not press Kong Zhenlin again as he had done before. He simply responded vaguely with "further investigation is needed" and "please make a wise judgment, Your Excellency," before leaving the suffocating prison with everyone else, their hearts heavy with worry.

The night was deep, and Kong Zhenyuan returned to his spacious bedroom in his mansion, feeling utterly lost.

The door slammed shut, shutting out the outside world.

He did not light a lamp, letting the pale moonlight seep in through the high window and cast shadows of the window frames on the blue brick floor.

"Lijia'ao...Lijia'ao...How could it be Lijia'ao?"

He paced nervously back and forth in a small area like an ant on a hot pan, repeatedly muttering the name, his voice filled with fear and disbelief, "That place...that place should have disappeared long ago!"

"It should have been burned completely, with nothing left..."

He stopped abruptly, breathing heavily with extreme panic.

The pounding of my heart echoed like a drumbeat in the deathly silent room.

Just then, he seemed to catch something unusual out of the corner of his eye.

Deep in the shadow of the huge wooden beams on the roof,

There seems to be something...
Did it move?
Kong Zhenyuan suddenly looked up, then her eyes filled with terror...

(End of this chapter)