Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 347

Lord White Crane stretched out a big yawn. Just now, he looked like a gourmand who had shucked three incredibly fresh oysters in one go, and now he had a look of complete satisfaction on his face.

This kind of treatment can only be enjoyed by Him; the two generals, Zeng and Sun, will not have this privilege.

In other words, he didn't dare to be naughty in front of that person. Otherwise, Baihe really wanted to borrow those three sets of cards, summon the increase and decrease cards, and have them stand by and watch him eat. That would definitely taste even better.

With the issues of the soul resolved, the next step is the physical body.

After all, he was a righteous person; his corpse was too clean, not Runsheng's type.

After Baihe Zhenjun went down to rest, his vertical pupils disappeared. Following Tan Wenbin's instructions, Lin Shuyou moved the three corpses to a nearby garbage station.

The small cement block, probably less than three cubic meters in volume, has become a marker, covered and extended by a large amount of garbage, piling up into a small mountain.

Although Yin Meng is no longer here, the corpse-dissolving water she concocted can still be used today. This is one of the few formulas that Yin Meng was able to keep.

"Zi La... Zi La... Zi La..."

The corpse, along with its clothes and even the surrounding garbage, was completely melted away, startling a swarm of rats and cockroaches into fleeing.

Lin Shuyou found a plastic stick and rummaged around inside, erasing the human-shaped traces left on the ground by the three corpses.

After doing all that, Lin Shuyou found a broom and a bucket to clean up the mess that Three-Eyed had made of his good brothers.

Meanwhile, Runsheng went to a nearby construction site, loaded construction waste onto a cart, and began backfilling the hole he had made in the road.

Lu Xuan is dead, and Xiao Yuan is gone, so there's no one to maintain the miasma here.

Worried that a car might accidentally drive into the uneven pit in the early morning, Tan Wenbin deliberately set up a basic formation along the pit.

People driving by will see a row of courtyard walls in the style of Jiangnan villas on one side of the road.

Although this looks very strange, Tan Wenbin is currently only at the level of following the script and it is impossible for him to modify the internal structure of the formation.

Zhao Yi passed by Runsheng and watched as Runsheng dumped a cartload of waste into the pit.

Even though it has been filled three times, the pit still looks very deep.

This shows that when Runsheng slammed the shovel down on himself earlier, he really wasn't acting at all.

Sigh, that guy surnamed Li doesn't say anything about himself.

Of course, if you put yourself in Zhao Yi's shoes, he wouldn't say it either.

Walking through the quiet alley, the shutters of the small massage parlors on both sides were all down, and most of the sign lights were off. Some of the ones that were still on had been left on, while others had a bad connection.

Looking up, Zhao Yi saw the boy's figure on the roof of Yaoji Hotel.

Just as he was about to climb up the wall, the boy made a tea-drinking gesture towards him.

Zhao Yi put his hands in his pockets and walked up the stairs.

When he appeared on the roof, he was carrying a thermos in his left hand and two teacups and a bag of tea leaves in his right.

"This tea is quite good. The aroma seems familiar. This inn is run by the Liu family."

The tea was "self-taken" from under Yao Nian'en's counter.

When Zhao Yi was in Nantong, the old lady of the Liu family drank tea with this taste.

"It's been separated for decades, it's no longer the same."

"You're emphasizing this on purpose?" Zhao Yi smiled. "Did you ask them for a favor?"

"Ah."

Zhao Yi brewed two cups of tea, handed one to the boy, and took the other for himself.

Li Zhuiyuan: Aren't you going back?

Zhao Yi: "It's alright. Lu Xuan came out with me secretly. Besides, I had already made arrangements there. Going back too early would only arouse suspicion."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Did you have fun there?"

"Of course, I'm very happy."

As Zhao Yi spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, revealing his arm. He tilted his head slightly, and the skin on his arm turned black before slowly peeling off and rising to the surface.

Black Skin wasn't completely detached from the body; flesh and blood were still attached in the middle. But the next moment, accompanied by a crisp "ripping" sound, Black Skin flipped over, revealing its inner side.

There were all sorts of marks on it, not caused by abuse, but colorful markings used for sensing, observation, detection and so on. One of them was even Lu Xuan's magic mark.

Zhao Yi: "We are all people who travel on the river. At this stage, the naive and innocent are in the minority, especially those guys. Even if they just dogmatically follow the experience summarized by their ancestors, they are not so easy to deal with."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Your inspiration is truly remarkable—turning the dragon's skin outward to suppress these sensory traces."

Those who delve into magical arts spend most of their time sitting and deducing, while people like Zhao Yi spend most of their time peeling back their own skin and playing with it.

Zhao Yi: "We finally got a dragon skin. Wouldn't it be a waste not to study it thoroughly?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Zhao Yi: "Would you like to hear about the situation over there?"

"Go ahead."

"First, everyone is hiding."

"I see it."

A normal opponent would have been killed the moment Li Zhuiyuan created his first opportunity, but Lu Xuan and his team managed to hold out for another round while completely on the defensive.

If Li Zhuiyuan hadn't stepped up the pressure in time, the situation tonight would most likely have been turned upside down.

While the people of the Four Mysteries Sect possess a wealth of skills, they have inherent weaknesses, making the others even more difficult to deal with.

Their subordinates will be more loyal, and their own strength will be more formidable.

In extreme cases, a crazed warrior can be more difficult to deal with than a mad formation master.

"Some people only hid one layer, some hid two layers, and it's possible that some people hid even more."

Zhao Yi meant that the concealment that could be detected was likely a deliberate disguise made by the person in question.

"Secondly, their knowledge of the river is generally very in-depth. Of course, it's impossible for them to match yours. At most, they only have the knowledge of hydrological observation, while you are a water conservancy major."

Is there a third one?

"Third, they have an unspoken understanding with their families and sects during this wave."

This is something you need to be aware of. When their elders attacked the Yu family, they would inevitably have left some traces.

I won't deliberately help those who cross the river, as that would bring karmic retribution, but... I can certainly go overboard.

"As expected."

"My family is empty-handed. Even if we had people, they wouldn't be qualified to send anyone to participate in this hunt targeting the Dragon King's family."

I still think your mother should send someone over, even if it's just to check on things.

"It was the right thing to not send anyone."

"Do you have a new lead?"

"No."

"What just now?"

"The sixth sense."

"You actually believe this?"

"Exceptions can be made occasionally."

“Then I choose to trust your sixth sense. When it’s time to actually enter the Yu family, I’ll deliberately distance myself from whichever elder leaves a trace and not try to get close to them.”

By this time, the tea had warmed to a suitable temperature for drinking.

Zhao Yi turned to the side, his back against the iron railing:

"That Chen family girl, I feel like there's something... a bit unusual about her?"

"In the same situation yesterday, if it were anyone else, even if I wanted to save them, it would have been too late."

You feel she's unusual because she's injured right now. Once she recovers and regains her strength, that feeling will fade.

"Heh, you might seem a bit foolish when you're injured, but when you're strong, you're genuinely carefree?"

Li Zhuiyuan did not deny it, because that was the truth.

If Chen Xiyuan, who has fully recovered, were to stand in front of him, she would truly be able to immobilize him, and would reach out to touch his face while calling him "little brother."

Zhao Yi: "Do I have a very bad impression on her?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "It's not very good."

Zhao Yi: "Sigh, is there any way to salvage this?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Wait until she recovers, then find an opportunity to explain to her face to face."

Zhao Yi: "Even after she recovered from her injuries, I didn't dare stand in front of her."

Li Zhuiyuan looked up at the faint light gradually appearing on the horizon in the distance; it was another new morning.

Zhao Yi: "It's getting late, I should go back now. See you next time we close the net."

"No delivery."

"polite."

Zhao Yi leaned forward and fell down the stairs.

After his body flipped twice in mid-air, his feet landed smoothly without making a sound.

After he walked away, Li Zhuiyuan picked up the teacup and water bottle and went downstairs.

Yao Nian'en was still asleep, sleeping soundly, but her snoring had stopped, and her face had become much rosier and smoother. Thick saliva was oozing from the corner of her mouth, and black mud had appeared on her body, making her smell terrible.

This must be the money Zhao Yi gave for the tea. He fed Yao Nian'en a pill to regulate her body, and she's currently detoxifying.

After putting the items back on the counter, Li Zhuiyuan walked to the door of the workroom.

The door wasn't locked, and it opened easily, allowing Li Zhuiyuan to walk in.

Chen Xiyuan lay back down on the tailor's large table. The luminous pearl had been crushed into powder, and the powder was applied evenly to her entire body, as her injuries were severe.

At that moment, she was naked, and her whole body was radiant.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Why didn't you lock the door?"

"Why did you lock the door?" Chen Xiyuan sat up and looked at the boy. "Is it because I'm not wearing any clothes? But my current concealment is countless times better than if I were wearing clothes. I even find it dazzling to myself."

Li Zhuiyuan: "How do you feel?"

"Give me three days. Although I won't fully recover, at least I'll be able to fight again."

"You have plenty of time, focus on healing."

"Your relationship with that Zhao Yi from Jiujiang is very good?"

"As you can see."

"He's not a good person."

"Most of the rumors about him in the martial arts world were made by me; he just used someone else's name."

"Little brother, do you protect every friend like this?"

"You go to sleep, I'm going back to sleep too."

"Little brother, wait a moment." Chen Xiyuan took out a talisman, the sealing talisman that Li Zhuiyuan had put on her forehead before. "The level and material of this talisman look very familiar. When we first met, you were also drinking soup at the soup shop near the hospital entrance, so you were the one who treated the people in those three wards who got poisoned from eating mushrooms, right?"

"The doctors are the ones who provide the rescue and treatment; I just helped them reduce the aftereffects."

Chen Xiyuan smiled and said:
"Little brother, you are so kind, so kind that it's adorable."

Li Zhuiyuan ignored her and walked towards the door.

Chen Xiyuan spoke again:
"I've always had this feeling that we met before, before that soup restaurant. Do you feel the same way?"

"dream."

The boy went out, closed the door, and flicked his finger. The silk thread behind the door rose up, binding the handle inside and locking the door.

Li Zhuiyuan returned to his room, took a shower, washed up, lay down on the bed, and closed his eyes. He needed to rest to recharge.

Outside, after Tan Wenbin and his two companions dealt with the scene, they remained dispersed around the hotel to maintain vigilance, just as before.

There were two people recovering from their injuries inside the hotel, so there was no time to relax.

However, Tan Wenbin went out once in the middle of the trip and, as instructed by Xiao Yuan, bought a lot of chocolate from a large store.

The boy slept for a full day and night.

After waking up, he ate something and drank some water, then fell asleep again, and another day and night passed.

Sleep is the cheapest and most effective way to replenish energy.

When Li Zhuiyuan woke up again, he sat by the bed for a while to make sure that he was back to his full potential.

In the past, if my eyes bled, it would take a long time to recover. But after taking classes at the dojo, my mental and physical awareness has been tempered and expanded, and my resilience and healing abilities have been greatly enhanced.

In comparison, if their companions suffer injuries of the same level, it will be more troublesome, and may even lead to their premature marginalization in this wave.

Therefore, from the team's perspective, Li Zhuiyuan is more willing to bear this cost himself.

The boy took out the two compasses and placed them on the bed.

The purple-gold compass was exquisite and grand; in comparison, my own little compass seemed much rougher.

However, the small compass contained that copper coin.

That night, while inspecting the spoils, the boy played with the purple-gold compass in his hand for a long time, an action that further confirmed the boy's poverty in Chen Xiyuan's eyes.

Actually, the boy wanted to find a suitable place to inlay copper coins in this purple-gold compass.

There really is a groove, which is probably used to insert talisman paper to enhance the compass's effect.

But how many talismans in this world can compare to the effect of that strange copper coin in his hand?

Not to mention, copper coins also have a long battery life.

Li Zhuiyuan waved his hand and set up a simple isolation formation in his small guest room.

He didn't want to make the place dirty because of the copper coins; otherwise, Yaoji Inn might become famous for being haunted.

Turn the small compass upside down, unfasten the clasp, and then tap the back of the compass.

With a crisp sound, the copper coin fell out of the small compass.

Li Zhuiyuan opened his right palm, and the spirit of the black dragon was released, enveloping the copper coin.

Even the Black Dragon Spirit, an existence inherently possessing malevolence, underwent a transformation after coming into contact with the copper coin. Small yellow and green pimples appeared on its originally pure black spirit body.

Li Zhuiyuan released karmic fire from his palm, carefully controlling the amount, and burned it onto the spirit of the black dragon, ensuring that he would not burn the spirit to death while also purifying the special mutations on its body.

The spirit of the black dragon will eventually return to his body, and Li Zhuiyuan doesn't want to grow fleshy spirit mushrooms on his body as a result.

Jiaoling was in great pain, but dared not disobey the boy's wishes, and continued to hold the copper coin steadily.

Li Zhuiyuan stood the purple-gold compass upright with the groove facing upwards, and the spirit of the black dragon pushed the copper coin into it.

Upon contact, the Purple Gold Compass trembled, and a large amount of black and white gas gushed out.

After Li Zhuiyuan retrieved the dragon spirit, he watched all of this intently.

Whether the two special objects can be successfully combined will soon be revealed.

In a short while, both the black and white mists dissipated completely and ceased to overflow, leaving the purple-gold compass with an even deeper and darker overall color.

It's as if the Taoist priest, who was originally a sage, has suddenly become a heretical cultivator.

In any case, the combination was successful, or rather, the copper coin unilaterally assimilated the gold compass.

The boy held the purple-gold compass in his hand, his fingertips twitching slightly. Soon, the compass began to spin rapidly, black energy constantly overflowing and being quickly engulfed, turning the entire cross-section pitch black.

If you were to slap someone, the sensation would be absolutely exquisite.

Even Li Zhuiyuan himself is unsure of the specific negative effects.

After tidying up his things and washing up, Li Zhuiyuan went to the workroom.

The thread on the doorknob was still there inside. The boy reached out and knocked on the door.

"Dodo dodo!"

"Enter."

Li Zhuiyuan pushed open the door and entered.

Inside the room, Chen Xiyuan was still lying on the table, but she was now dressed.

After the pearl powder was absorbed in large quantities, her radiance decreased, and even the skin outside her clothes became much smoother and whiter than before.

Chen Xiyuan: "I originally wanted to save some for you."

Li Zhuiyuan: "There's no need for that."

Chen Xiyuan: "I was thinking you could take it and give it to your little sister."

Li Zhuiyuan: "She doesn't need it."

Chen Xiyuan: "Those conditions are really good. No wonder it's a wealthy family that would let you marry into their family."

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at her.

Chen Xiyuan jumped off the table, looking very curious, and said, "The two of them have such a good relationship, did you live with their family a long time ago? Then you wouldn't be..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "How's the recovery going?"

Chen Xiyuan: "I can only say that the product is indeed good, and it's even faster than my most optimistic estimate."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

Chen Xiyuan: "You can make arrangements on how to use me next."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I will."

Chen Xiyuan: "Don't mention it."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You're overthinking it."

Chen Xiyuan rubbed her stomach: "I've been busy healing these past two days and haven't eaten anything. How about I return that bowl of meat soup to you now?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "You still have some powder residue on you, so you won't be hungry."

The luminous pearl contains the sacrifices of the Four Mysteries Sect members throughout the ages; absorbing it is a great tonic.

Chen Xiyuan: "It's not like you can only eat when you're hungry; eating itself is a kind of happiness."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I've already had breakfast."

Chen Xiyuan: "Then forget it."

Li Zhuiyuan turned and walked out. He had come here to check on the progress.

However, the boy stopped when he reached the door:

"You're very interested in this kind of thing."

"Yes, because it's interesting in itself."

"Then why didn't you ask me which one it was?"

"Asking might ruin the point."

"You figured it out."

"Yes, that night, I saw the feng shui."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Oh."

Chen Xiyuan: "Our Chen family's secret technique requires observing the sea and listening to the tides, which is related to feng shui and weather. When it comes to feng shui in the martial arts world, the first one recommended is naturally that family."

At first I wasn't sure, but these past two days while I was recovering from my injury, I had nothing else to do, so I kept replaying and deduce it in my mind, and then I found that the feeling was getting stronger and stronger.

Little brother, you really scared me! You may be young, but your skill in marrying into the family is truly amazing. You've got a knack for choosing the right family.

That night, when dealing with Lu Xuan and his three companions, Li Zhuiyuan used the "Liu Family Qi Observation Technique".

In fact, it is used very subtly, even deliberately with a touch of freehand style.

However, the Dragon King's family members are indeed insightful and perceptive, which also proves from another perspective that the girl is by no means an ordinary person. She was able to replicate and study Li Zhuiyuan's feng shui techniques.

Chen Xiyuan asked again tentatively:

"My guess was right, wasn't it?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "That's right."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiyuan's relaxed expression vanished, replaced by a serious one.

"From childhood to adulthood, my family always sighed with regret whenever they mentioned that family. My grandfather even told me that that family would surely rise again in the future."

Now, I see it.

Before things are out in the open, you can laugh it off and pretend you don't understand, but once things are out in the open, everything has to be done according to the rules.

Chen Xiyuan began to perform the Chen family ceremony for Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan first turned to face her, then turned half of his body to the side.

After Chen Xiyuan finished her greetings, Li Zhuiyuan performed the Liu family gate greetings for her.

Competition and cannibalism among the Dragon King's faction are not uncommon.

Each generation of Dragon King may be able to be broad-minded and have a grand vision, but a Dragon King is a Dragon King, and a family is a family.

Expansion and continuation are the instincts of any power.

But the Chen family of Qiongya seems to be an exception.

Because of the unique filtering nature of this technique, its desire to expand is very low.

When one is free from desires, one becomes invincible, and one's perspective on things naturally becomes more objective and fair.

After both sides had exchanged greetings, Chen Xiyuan's sweet smile returned. She leaned forward, her eyes sparkling, as if she was eager to ask another question.

But her movements were quickly stopped.

Because after the boy performed the Liu family's rites, he performed another rite.

Chen Xiyuan had no choice but to become serious again, tightening her face and turning halfway to the side. When she recognized that this was the Qin family's formal greeting, Chen Xiyuan's eyes widened, revealing shock.

Li Zhuiyuan finished his greetings.

Chen Xiyuan subconsciously wanted to return the greeting.

Li Zhuiyuan interrupted, saying, "You've already done it."

Chen Xiyuan: "What does this mean? Could it be..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "It means exactly what you think it means."

Chen Xiyuan: "You told me before that you had more than one husband's family and had visited more than one family. So that's what you meant."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I didn't say that."

"But, coming to the door is coming to the door, no, no..."

Chen Xiyuan stretched out her fingers and rubbed her brow. Her mind was a bit of a mess, and she needed to sort out the relationships.

"If you marry into the Liu family, then you are indeed a member of the Liu family and should perform the Liu family's traditional rites. But if you are even qualified to perform the Qin family's traditional rites, then legally..."

Little brother, you've been lying to me all along; you didn't marry into my family.

Li Zhuiyuan: "You're the one who keeps saying I married into the family."

Chen Xiyuan knew that the two Dragon King families were now under the control of that old lady, and her grandfather had a very high opinion of that old lady from the Liu family.

She once said that she refused to walk along the river because of love, causing the river to lose its luster for that generation.

Just as he said this, his grandmother happened to come into the yard and heard him.

Then Grandpa was grabbed by the ear and forcibly dragged into the house by Grandma, from where Grandma's spitting and cursing could be heard:
"Pah, you old codger, it's been so many years, and you're still up to your old tricks! You're still a toad trying to eat swan meat!"

The fact that her grandfather couldn't forget her and that her grandmother compared her to a swan shows that the old lady from the Liu family was definitely not a fool.

For a woman to maintain the dignity of two powerful families for decades, she must have been an exceptionally capable figure.

The young man before them could become a son-in-law, chosen in advance as a child groom.

However, he could never use this identity to interfere in another family's affairs. At most, he could choose between the Qin and Liu families, otherwise it would be a great insult to the other Dragon King family.

Therefore, there can only be one answer.

"Little brother..."

Suddenly, Chen Xiyuan felt that this form of address was inappropriate, because the other party's legal status... should be higher than her own.

Chen Xiyuan: "Um, what's your name again?"

After asking the question, Chen Xiyuan herself felt that she was being a bit ridiculous. The young man in front of her had saved her twice, but she had actually forgotten to ask him his name.

"Li Zhuiyuan."

"Surname Li..." Chen Xiyuan took a deep breath and said slowly, "So, it's not that you went to which family's door, but that old lady entrusted the inheritance of both families to you?"

"Ah."

Chen Xiyuan: "You're carrying the weight of two Dragon Kings' mansions all by yourself?"

"Ah."

Chen Xiyuan quickly recalled the collapse of the grand formation in the museum at a critical moment, and how she had resolved her crisis in no time last night.

“The old lady of the Liu family is indeed remarkably charismatic, and little brother… Brother Zhuiyuan… Brother Zhuiyuan, you are truly worthy of the title.”

From birth, the Chen family has been well aware of the importance of talent.

Chen Xiyuan was at a loss for words to describe the talent of the young man before her. Most importantly, what the young man was showing was still his ability before he even started practicing martial arts.

Chen Xiyuan: "If you withdraw after lighting the lamp a second time, even if you cannot become the Dragon King, you can still take up the mantle of these two sects again."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I cannot turn the lights on a second time."

Chen Xiyuan: "Why are you so stubborn?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Heaven knows."

Chen Xiyuan suddenly raised her hand, surprised and suspicious, "No, why is it that such a big thing has been almost completely unknown in the martial arts world? You've been traveling the martial arts world for so long, and I've never heard of your deeds. This shouldn't be the case."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You've heard about my deeds."

Chen Xiyuan: "Don't you never reveal your identity in public? This time, you made an exception and revealed it to me, only telling me, right?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I've told this to many people."

Chen Xiyuan: "They are all really good at keeping their mouths shut."

Li Zhuiyuan: "They are indeed very good at keeping secrets."

Chen Xiyuan: "Do you need me to keep this a secret for you? I mean, does that mean you can't even tell my family?"

"You said you owe me two lives."

"Yes, that's right."

"Then I'll give you my life in exchange for keeping this secret."

"This is my life, and you're trading it for this?"

"What's the difference between letting you die once and letting you die twice?"

Chen Xiyuan smiled and nodded: "Indeed."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Alright, you should continue to focus on healing your injuries."

Chen Xiyuan's face lit up with anticipation again, and the light in her eyes returned: "Brother Zhuiyuan, there's something I've really wanted to ask you since that night, something that's been on my mind for a long time."

"go ahead."

Li Zhuiyuan originally thought that Chen Xiyuan would ask about the other methods he used that night, such as the Ghost Gate that had appeared behind him, or the Nuo opera puppetry.

But Chen Xiyuan asked: "Is the granddaughter of the old lady of the Liu family very beautiful?"

……

Li Zhuiyuan carried his backpack down the stairs and stood under the sign of Yaoji Hotel.

A short while later, Tan Wenbin came out carrying a large bag of chocolates, all wrapped in gold paper. They looked exquisite and expensive.

These days, it's considered a rather luxurious snack.

"Brother Binbin, have you had breakfast yet?"

"We just took turns eating. Runsheng and Ayou have already eaten, but I haven't."

"Let's go have breakfast together."

"it is good."

The alley was much busier in the morning than it had been at the same time in previous days.

Because of the recent crackdown, I dare not do business for the time being.

Customers who only want a massage and a haircut won't come here.

So, everyone is quite free.

A large group of people were sitting in front of the window of Yaoji Tailor Shop.

Some people had clothes in their hands that needed mending, while others sat there chatting, basking in the sun, and passing the time during this rare vacation.

When Li Zhuiyuan appeared, Grandma Yao stopped her needlework, sat up from her seat, and looked at the boy.

The boy nodded to the old man, indicating that everything was alright.

The old woman sat down again and continued mending the clothes in her hands.

Li Zhuiyuan began handing out chocolates to the crowd. Those who had helped carry Chen Xiyuan in that day, as well as those who had given him candy and sponge cakes, all returned the gesture.

There were many people, but the teenager had a good memory and didn't miss anything. Even three aunties who took advantage of the crackdown to go back to their hometowns for a visit were given chocolates by Li Zhuiyuan to deliver to their store, asking their colleagues to hand them over when they returned to work.

After distributing the goods, Li Zhuiyuan and Tan Wenbin walked together outside the alley.

After drinking meat soup for a while, I wanted to try something different today, so I went into a noodle shop that specializes in oil-splashed noodles.

Tan Wenbin ordered two bowls of oil-splashed noodles and a plate of cold dishes.

After the noodles were served, Tan Wenbin gave a report while the noodles were being stirred.

Nothing serious will happen. If anything were to happen, Tan Wenbin would definitely wake him up.

However, the boy also needs to be aware of some of the developments that have occurred in the past two days.

The same commotion that happened above the museum that day occurred twice more, each time from a different location.

This means that Zhao Yi's allies are still hunting down people in the martial arts world to accumulate their contribution in this wave, so that they can share the rewards after the wave.

Even the smallest mosquito is still meat, and you might as well be idle anyway.

Since the river has made such an arrangement in this wave, something similar is bound to happen.

The strong form alliances and band together to occupy a dominant ecological niche, and then harvest the surrounding areas in accordance with the laws of nature.

Moreover, they themselves need to maintain their condition and have sparring partners, and some even use "villains" as test subjects to refine their new techniques and moves.

That day, similar things happened in many of the exhibits in the museum. They could have killed the enemy much earlier, but they weren't in a hurry to kill them; they were slowly used and worn down.

However, since he destroyed the museum's machinations, many "villains" must have survived and escaped.

This is also what Li Zhuiyuan needs. If he can't pass on his "dark identity" to the Yu family, he won't be able to continue his acting career.

In addition, Tan Wenbin reported another matter: over the past two days, his eyelids had been twitching from time to time, and Lin Shuyou's vertical pupils had been intermittently irritated.

I couldn't tell exactly what was happening or where it was, but the palpitations and unease were very real.

Li Zhuiyuan took a bite of noodles and said:
"Then it must be some old guys who have arrived, and they may have already made a move, but they are deliberately suppressing the noise and not letting it spread, which is why you and Ayou sensed it but did not know why."

"Shouldn't those old fogies have made their move at the Yu family's gate? Why are they doing it all over the city?"

"When I meet an old friend in real life, I might not be able to resist having a brief sparring session; when I encounter a former rival, I might also want to give them a piece of my mind."

"So that's it."

"Their people should be all here soon, and they should officially take action against the Yu family in the next day or two."

"Brother Xiao Yuan, what's wrong with that Miss Chen...?"

"She's recovering well and can fight now."

"That's very good."

Tan Wenbin felt that as long as Miss Chen could be dragged out to fight, then the initial investment wouldn't be a loss.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Next, it will be hard on you, Brother Binbin, to find the Yu family's branches in Luoyang. The branches that are on the surface have definitely been cleared out, but it's impossible that none have been missed."

Tan Wenbin: "Don't worry, Brother Xiaoyuan, I'll go out to look after I finish breakfast."

Everyone has their own expertise, and Tan Wenbin has an absolute talent for finding people and building connections. Moreover, he possesses four spirit beasts, making him even more sensitive to demonic energy.

With the all-out attack by the top forces in the martial arts world imminent and the deployment of troops in all aspects becoming increasingly intense, Li Zhuiyuan wanted to stand with the Yu family before the righteous side officially made its move.

After finishing their noodles, Li Zhuiyuan and Tan Wenbin walked out of the noodle shop. Just as they were about to part ways, outside the alley, a man and a woman were pulling at each other.

Li Zhuiyuan "knew" that woman; the boy had just given her chocolates.

Man: "Where's my child? Where's my child?"

Woman: "Pah, what child? You're not sending money, and you expect me to raise your child for free?"

Man: "Then where did my child go? Tell me!"

Woman: "Sold! Sold to someone else!"

Man: "How could you be so heartless?"

Woman: "Me, heartless? How dare you call me heartless? You lied to me about not using protection and sleeping with me, and then when I got pregnant, you lied again and said you would marry me and make me give birth to the child."

I must have been blinded by greed to believe your nonsense!
"Look at me now! After having a baby, I still have to come back here to work. I was so smug when I left, but now they all laugh at me!"

Man: "I was held up by something, really."

Woman: "Yes, you're busy with something, busy going to Shanghai to find another woman to have your child, right?"
You, surnamed Yu, are a beast who flirts with everyone and runs away as soon as he's done!

Upon hearing the words "surname Yu," both Li Zhuiyuan and Tan Wenbin turned their attention to the man.

Tan Wenbin: "Brother Xiaoyuan, could it be the 'Yu' in 'Yushi'?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "That might match the wave that Ayou caught."

Sun Caijuan from the village also encountered the same situation.

Although judging based on these factors seems arbitrary, we are currently in the midst of the waves, and the river will actively propel you. Even the most coincidental events can be considered normal during this period.

Tan Wenbin: "Brother Xiaoyuan, his facial expression seems a bit off."

Li Zhuiyuan: "He's disguised."

Earlier, when he came out, Li Zhuiyuan overheard a woman talking in front of Yao's Tailor Shop. She said that she had left her child with her parents and would send them a living allowance every month. She was worried about how long the crackdown would last. The month's money transfer was approaching, but she hadn't made much money this month.

At this point, the woman's concealment of the man's secret was because she didn't want to have anything to do with this disgusting man anymore.

What the woman didn't know was that the man in front of her was not the father of her child; hidden beneath the same face was another person.

After an argument that yielded no results, the man had no choice but to leave dejectedly.

Li Zhuiyuan and Tan Wenbin followed behind the man.

If there are ready-made waves to catch up with, then there's no need to search for a needle in a haystack.

However, although he had experienced similar situations countless times in the past, this time, Li Zhuiyuan had a special feeling in his heart.

Based on past patterns and his understanding of the question setters, Jiang Shui generally wouldn't give individual people special treatment or extra help in a large group of teams.

This would disrupt the balance and not conform to the aesthetics desired by the question setter.

Therefore, if the man in front of you is indeed the clue to the wave, it means two possibilities.

Either everyone will have their own wave, marking and propelling them towards the same position.

Or perhaps it really is just for himself, which means that Jiang Shui has other intentions this time, and needs to show his uniqueness that is different from other people who travel the river.

Li Zhuiyuan patted the left pocket of his backpack with his left hand, and the purple-gold compass inside immediately began to operate on its own to mark the location.

"Brother Binbin, tell Ayou to light the incense and bring everyone over, including that person."

……

After walking for a while, the man flagged down a taxi.

He got into the car and told the driver the address.

The driver kept rubbing his eyes and yawning, and hesitated to start the car.

It wasn't until another taxi pulled up behind them, and a man and a child got in, that the driver in front of the man finally came to his senses and said:
"That's strange. I just took over the shift this morning and went to bed early last night, so why am I feeling sleepy now?"

The driver started the car and drove to the address the man had given him.

In the taxi behind, Tan Wenbin said to the female driver beside him:
"Auntie, could you please follow that car ahead for me? I'll double the fare when we get there."

The female driver looked at Tan Wenbin warily: "Young man, what are you doing?"

Currently, there are incidents of robbery against taxi drivers happening in various places, so taxi drivers are very vigilant. Making money is fun, but it has to be risk-free.

Tan Wenbin: "That's my dad in the car ahead. He's going to visit his mistress behind my mom's back. I have to catch him red-handed!"

Female driver: "Hold on tight. If it's not far, I won't charge you."

Tan Wenbin: "Thank you, sister."

The distance wasn't too far. The man got off the car on a small street and walked into a single-story house on the side of the street.

The female driver stopped her car a short distance away and waved, saying, "Young man, hurry up and go!"

Tan Wenbin: "No rush, sister. Let's give them some time, let what's meant to happen happen, so I can catch them in the act."

Female driver: "That makes sense. You can wait in the car then; that way you're less likely to be spotted."

Tan Wenbin: "Sis, can you tell me the exact address here? I'll call my mom and tell her to come over as soon as possible."

The female driver gave the address, and fearing it wasn't detailed enough, she added a few more road signs to guide the way.

Tan Wenbin took out his mobile phone and dialed Lin Shuyou's number.

"Hey, Brother Bin, we've already set off with the guide incense."

"Mom, I'll give you the address. Just take a taxi and come over. Don't delay."

Lin Shuyou: "..."

Incense burners are very effective for short distances, but their efficiency drops significantly over longer distances. This is because you can't walk fast while carrying the incense burner, otherwise the smoke will be swept away by the airflow and lose its guiding ability.

The female driver looked at the mobile phone in Tan Wenbin's hand and exclaimed, "Young man, your family must be very wealthy."

Tan Wenbin: "It's all the money my mom earned from her factory. My dad is a kept man, and he still uses my mom's money to keep a mistress."

Female driver: "Your dad is a real scoundrel!"

During the wait, the female driver did not urge the driver to hurry.

Finally, a taxi pulled up behind them, and Tan Wenbin saw Runsheng and the other two sitting in the car through the rearview mirror.

"Sis, I'm a little nervous. Let me drink some water from your glass to calm myself down."

"Give."

The female driver slipped her opaque water bottle through the gap in the driver's seat cover.

Tan Wenbin finished the water in his cup in one gulp. Before putting the lid back on, he put in the amount shown on the meter, which was three times the fare. Two times was what was agreed upon beforehand, and the rest was for waiting.

The main problem is that this aunt is too eager to help others. If you give it to her directly, she probably won't accept it. If you hide it in the front passenger seat or the back seat, it might be picked up by the next passenger.

"Sis, my mom's here, I'm going."

The female driver eagerly suggested, "How about I go with you?"

"No, sister, we shouldn't air our dirty laundry in public."

The female driver sighed in disappointment, glanced in the rearview mirror and saw two men and a woman walking towards her from behind. She asked, puzzled:
"Young man, is your mother... that young?"

"Yes, she's my rich stepmother."

Tan Wenbin put his water bottle on the passenger seat and got out of the car with Xiao Yuan, who was sitting in the back seat.

The female driver shook her head, somewhat bewildered. She felt she couldn't understand the situation. Her ex-wife's son was helping his stepmother catch her mistress?

The five people gathered.

Li Zhuiyuan said, "The person is inside this house, and we don't know the situation inside yet. There may be other people outside who have been brought here by the waves, so Ayou, you come with me to sneak in. The rest of you, stay on the outside and be ready to provide support at any time."

“Waves…” Chen Xiyuan pondered the word and quickly understood its meaning.

Anyone who isn't an idiot will instinctively try to figure out the patterns of the river when walking along it, though the names may differ.

Chen Xiyuan: "Let me sneak in with you. There aren't many people who are better at this than me."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Okay."

Chen Xiyuan took the boy's hand and opened the domain.

In reality, no change is visible, but if you walk in the shadows, you can see that a blue halo has enveloped the two of them.

With Chen Xiyuan's deliberate control, Li Zhuiyuan was no longer suppressed by the domain this time.

No need to climb over the wall; the so-called infiltration is so simple that you just walk to the front door, and the next moment, the inner door lock disengages, the rusty door opens automatically, and everything happens silently without a sound.

The two walked in without any hesitation, and then the door was locked again and the door closed quietly.

Lin Shuyou shrugged and joked, "I never thought my job would be taken away like this."

Tan Wenbin: "Brother Xiaoyuan originally wanted her to take action, but since it was the first time he had commanded her, it was most appropriate to let her take the initiative herself."

Lin Shuyou: "Brother Bin, I've always felt that we didn't study the same kind of Chinese language in high school."

Tan Wenbin: "Alright, everyone to your positions, be on alert."

The house wasn't very big, but it had many rooms. Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan strolled around looking for people inside, almost like they were taking a walk.

Soon, through a crack in the door and window of a side room, they saw a man sitting inside, waiting anxiously.

Chen Xiyuan opened the door and led Li Zhuiyuan inside. After the door closed automatically, the two of them stood in front of the man.

The boy asked, "If I were to assassinate someone, would I not even need to disguise myself? Would I just walk right up to the target?"

Chen Xiyuan: "Those who cannot see through my domain are not worth assassinating. Those who are worth assassinating must be able to see through my domain."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I like this domain."

In my childhood memories, there was a book list in my great-grandfather's basement, but "Listening to the Tide and Watching the Sea" was not on it.

Chen Xiyuan: "Do you want to see my Chen family's secret techniques?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "If possible, I am willing to make an equal exchange."

Chen Xiyuan: "I can show you."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Is there a bloodline restriction?"

Chen Xiyuan: "Yes, my ancestors have been trying to break through this bloodline limitation, but they have never succeeded. In fact, my Chen family's biggest dream is to change the family into a sect, so that the selection of talents can be much wider."

The inheritance of family bloodlines is a major constraint on the development of the Chen family, mainly because the attrition rate of their own family's secret techniques is simply too high.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Were there no restrictions at the beginning?"

Chen Xiyuan: "Initially, there were no restrictions. In my Chen family ancestral hall, there are still many ancestors from other surnames enshrined. But later, as the 'Listening to the Tide and Watching the Sea Law' became more and more perfect, the restrictions gradually became apparent. Those who are not members of my Chen clan cannot open up the territory."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Because this set of techniques has violated some taboos."

Just like the fierce and powerful wild beasts in nature, their numbers are usually not too many.

The ancestors of the Chen family gathered their wisdom and gradually perfected this formula to an extreme, which also brought about invisible shackles.

Chen Xiyuan: "My grandfather once said the same thing as you."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Since it was possible before, it means there is a way to crack it, or at least we can try to exploit the loopholes."

Chen Xiyuan: "So, do you want to crawl through?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "If you are willing to give me the 'Listening to the Tide and Observing the Sea Laws,' regardless of whether I can study it or not, you can list three categories of classics, and I will provide them to meet your needs."

Chen Xiyuan: "The complete 'Listening to the Tide and Watching the Sea' is on the stone tablet in my Chen Family Ancestral Hall. It cannot be copied or leaked out. If you want to see it, you can come to Hainan to find me in the future, and I will take you into my family ancestral hall."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Is it appropriate for outsiders to enter the ancestral hall of the Chen family, the Dragon King?"

The last person who invited me to his ancestral hall ended up burning it down.

Chen Xiyuan: "It's nothing, because my grandfather regularly invites some old friends from the martial arts world or young talents to gather at my Chen family home to appreciate the stone tablet together."

This move is truly impressive.

The Chen family is truly not afraid that outsiders will learn their unique skills; in fact, they dream that outsiders will find a way to learn them.

"By the way, your old lady was invited by my grandfather back then."

There is a willow tree planted in the outer courtyard of my family's ancestral hall. My grandfather planted it by himself to commemorate your grandmother's visit to my Chen family. It is now very tall and big.

When I was a child, I felt the stone tablet was tired, so I liked to lie down under that willow tree to cool off and take a nap.

"Your grandfather is such a kind man."

“My grandmother disliked that willow tree for decades, but she never actually pulled it out.”

“Your grandma is even better.”

Has your grandmother ever mentioned my grandfather?

"My mother-in-law doesn't like to talk about sad things from the past."

"Feel sorry."

In fact, the old lady would mention things from the past. For example, Li Zhuiyuan often heard the old lady call him "Old Dog Qin".

As for the other men, the old lady might not be unwilling to mention them, but rather she had simply forgotten about them.

Back then, the arrogant and domineering Miss Liu naturally had no shortage of admirers.

Chen Xiyuan's grandfather probably wasn't even ranked among those admirers.

Because the most prominent and outspoken ones at the front of the line were all packed up by Grandpa Qin and thrown into the latrine.

The martial arts world of yesteryear, and the Dragon King Qin and Dragon King Liu of that time, were enough to allow these two to act recklessly in their youth.

Their marriage back then shocked the entire martial arts world.

Chen Xiyuan: "Don't worry, even if you don't want to reveal your identity, I can still take you to my family's ancestral hall in my own name, but I can't give you my family's things right now."

All the things I can use are in a cave within the Wuzhi Mountain area. You can take whatever you want from there; don't be shy.

At this point, Chen Xiyuan suddenly remembered something and immediately asked:
"No, Dragon King Liu and Dragon King Qin have produced far more Dragon Kings than my Chen family. Given your status, your wealth should be ten or even a hundred times greater than mine."

How did you manage to live such a poor life?

Each generation of Dragon Kings signifies a deeper accumulation of family wealth. Even without deliberately killing and plundering, simply picking up any unusual items encountered while traveling along the river will eventually result in an astonishing amount of wealth.

Moreover, when he becomes the Dragon King and suppresses the martial arts world, his income will be even more extravagant than when he travels the river.

The Chen family, which has only produced three Dragon Kings, is certainly far inferior to the Qin or Liu families in terms of accumulated resources, let alone the combined resources of the Qin and Liu families.

Of course, the Chen family was much wealthier than the Zhao family of Jiujiang, who had only produced one Dragon King.

Li Zhuiyuan: "When my lamp was lit, we had not yet separated."

Chen Xiyuan: "So, you mean you lit a lamp and walked across the river, but got nothing?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I received a formal dress."

Chen Xiyuan: "That guy who betrayed you, preventing you from practicing martial arts as an adult and denying you the support of your family's resources, he really deserves..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "It's okay. It's quite fulfilling to build up your family's wealth from scratch."

He didn't mean it sincerely, but he didn't want Chen Xiyuan to say those taboo words, since they were still in the water.

Just then, an old man came running from the backyard, his pace very brisk.

The old man pushed open the door and went into the side room.

Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan were standing right in front of him, but the old man didn't even notice that there were people in front of him, let alone see them.

This means that although the old man had a special jade pendant hanging from his waist, indicating that he was a member of the Xuanmen sect, his cultivation was extremely shallow.

The old man said, "I've picked up all the other children. What about your children? Are they playing outside?"

The man covered his head and said, "I found her, but she said she had already sold the child."

Old man: "Where did you sell them?"

Man: "I don't know, she won't tell me."

Old man: "Fool, take more money with you!"

Man: "I told her, and she said she wouldn't want my dirty money anymore."

The old man said, "That's because you didn't bring enough money."

Man: "I..."

The old man said, "Hurry up and make preparations again. I'll send the children I just picked up back to the village first. I'm afraid that if they stay outside, things might get complicated and those beasts might find them again."

Man: "Are they all dead...?"

The old man said, "Otherwise, if they hadn't died and had continued to make payments, things wouldn't be so difficult now. What, are you scared to death?"

The man is silent.

The old man said, "It's either death or a fate worse than death. You choose. This is the price we, the people surnamed Yu, pay."

The man wiped the cold sweat from his face: "Uncle, I understand, I'll go right away."

The old man said, "First, fix your face. Your makeup is all messed up and doesn't match."

After giving the instructions, the old man hurriedly ran out again.

Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan left with the old man.

Originally, the boy thought that through this man he could find the current members of the Yu family and make contact with them to infiltrate the Yu family. However, it turned out that this group of people seemed to be members of the Yu family from the past.

This seems to suggest that, in addition to those raised in captivity, there were also wild members of the Yu family.

The old man went out through the back door, got on a rickshaw, and had three children lying on the back: a boy and a girl, both only four or five years old, and an infant in swaddling clothes, protected by the two children in the middle.

The rickshaw rider was steady but not fast, allowing Li Zhuiyuan to keep up easily while calmly sending signals to Tan Wenbin and the others.

Soon, the three arrived and reunited.

Tan Wenbin: "Brother Xiaoyuan, I've been keeping watch on the outside the whole time, and I haven't noticed anyone unusual approaching. Does this mean that we're the only ones who caught this wave?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "We can only confirm it once we arrive at the destination."

The old man was very vigilant, cautiously observing his surroundings as he rode his bicycle, but his caution was meaningless in front of the teenagers.

The rickshaw was driven to a desolate area in the suburbs, where there was a bridge, and the river under the bridge had dried up many years ago.

The old man pedaled his rickshaw into the old riverbed and headed straight for the area under the bridge.

After a moment of distorted light and shadow, the old man and the rickshaw disappeared.

There is a formation entrance inside, leading to a hidden world within.

The formation was simple. Li Zhuiyuan simply stood under the bridge, waved his palm lightly, and light and shadow distorted again in front of him, meaning that the entrance had been reopened.

But the boy stood there, hesitant to go inside.

Chen Xiyuan walked to the boy's side and asked, "Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing unusual."

"Then why not go in?"

"People with low cultivation levels, crude methods, and rudimentary formations, especially in Luoyang—don't you find it strange that this place can continue to exist under the nose of the 'Yu Family'?"

Chen Xiyuan: "Why don't we just go in and take a look?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "When you first entered the museum, did you notice anything wrong with the staff?"

Chen Xiyuan: "I noticed that when they approached me, they experienced lag that living people wouldn't experience due to the influence of my domain."

Li Zhuiyuan: "But you still went in."

Chen Xiyuan: "Well, I wanted to go in and see who was waiting for me inside, but I didn't expect there to be a large group of people inside."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Go in."

Chen Xiyuan instinctively tried to walk forward, but Runsheng was faster. He accelerated forward a few steps, came in front of her, and disappeared first.

Chen Xiyuan paused for a moment, then went in second.

Next up is Li Zhuiyuan.

Upon entering, a village scene unfolded before them, with two rows of wooden houses, fields, and a river encircling the area. This was the reason why the river outside had dried up, as fresh water had been diverted into this village.

Tan Wenbin: "It feels like a paradise."

Chen Xiyuan: "But we may not necessarily receive a warm welcome."

Tan Wenbin: "Brother Xiaoyuan, I think we should observe the area from the outside first before deciding whether to contact the people here. Otherwise, it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings..."

He stopped before he could finish speaking, because a young man dressed in black appeared on the slope diagonally in front of him, along with a yellow dog.

The dog was baring its teeth, issuing a warning to the five people below.

The young man gently kicked the dog, and the little yellow dog immediately turned and ran towards the village, barking as it ran—a warning.

The young man ran towards this place. At first, he was not fast, but a few unintentional accelerations left his figure in afterimages.

Runsheng, who was standing at the front, also rushed forward. The two sides quickly met and exchanged punches!
"boom!"

After a solid exchange of punches, the young man remained completely unmoved, just like Runsheng, which meant that the young man possessed the same explosive power as Runsheng.

However, the young man was too ambitious. After exchanging punches with Runsheng, before his internal energy could recover, he once again forced himself to move faster, quickly dodging Runsheng and aiming straight for the only boy in the group.

Soon after, he enjoyed the same treatment as Zhao Yi.

Runsheng's rear air valves open, and the powerful suction restrains it, reducing its speed.

Chen Xiyuan took a step forward, raised her arm and stretched it out, her domain enveloping the young man.

The young man's knees began to bend instantly as a tremendous pressure poured down.

He let out a low growl and used all his strength to try to break free from this strange restraint.

Then, he succeeded; he regained his freedom because Chen Xiyuan removed the domain.

But after a series of bursts in a short period of time, he had to stop to catch his breath.

"His features were terrifying!"

The young man felt his vision blur for a moment, and when he tried to see clearly again, a golden mace was already pressed against the back of his head.

He was indeed very brave, but Li Zhuiyuan had the advantage of numbers.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the restrained youth and said:

"If nothing unexpected happens, we are not your enemy. Our enemy is the Yu family, which is now in power like beasts."

Upon hearing this, the young man's eyes showed surprise: "You weren't sent by those beasts?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "A beast won't call itself a beast."

The young man seemed to be pondering the words carefully, then nodded: "That makes sense."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Your surname is Yu, and what's your name?"

The young man replied:
"My name is... Yu Dibei."

(End of this chapter)