Confucian and Taoist scholar

Chapter 195 Human-Demon Collusion
Lu Zheng smiled faintly, "For scholars like us, as long as we have no fear in our hearts and are protected by the words of the sages, why should we be afraid of those demons and ghosts?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Wu couldn't help but give a thumbs-up and said with a smile, "Scholars are different! Judging from your extraordinary temperament, you must be a very talented scholar, right?"

Lu Zhengdao said, "I can't say I'm that great. I'm just a scholar, and I haven't been one for long. I just want to go to the state capital because of my boldness."

"It's amazing to be able to pass the exam and become a scholar. I admire you scholars!"

Wang Wu paused, then continued, "I recently met some merchants from your Kaiyang County. They heard that your county has produced a remarkable scholar named Lu. Do you know him?"

Lu Zhengdao said, "I know him. But I don't think he's exaggerating as he said. I heard that your Tong County also had a scholar of heaven and earth."

Wang Wu nodded and said, "Yes! But how can an ordinary person like me meet such a person?"

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "Manager Wang, there's no need to belittle yourself. Being able to open a teahouse here is already quite remarkable."

Wang Wu couldn't help but laugh and said, "How can I be considered a shopkeeper? I just make a living."

Lu Zheng stood up and looked at the county road outside: "I still don't know which road leads to Tong County?"

Wang Wu raised his hand and pointed to a mountain road. "That road, follow it for a hundred miles and you'll reach the county town."

Lu Zheng bowed and said, "Thank you!"

Lu Zheng did not stop and left the teahouse.

Wang Wu watched Lu Zheng go away, his eyes flickering.

After Lu Zheng disappeared on the mountain path, he quickly got up and went back to the house, lifted a stone slab, and knocked on it with his hand.

After a while, rustling sounds were heard.

A gray-black rat head emerged from the dark hole in the ground.

Wang Wu lowered his voice and said, "He's a young scholar, so he shouldn't have much strength. If you can do it, be careful... As usual, the things belong to me, and the people belong to you."

"Squeak..."

The mouse cried out and quickly disappeared.

Wang Wu covered the stone slab and slowly went back outside to lie down and wait for guests.

How can it be so easy to open a store in the mountains?
So Wang Wu reached a cooperation with the monsters in the nearby mountains a long time ago.

If you encounter a lone and suitable target, just ask them to take action.

If there are groups of passers-by who do not want to stay at his place and want to spend the night outside, then he will let the ghosts go out and scare them.

There are always some timid people who will be scared and run back to him, and then pay a high price to stay overnight.

Wang Wu knew that there were many cultivators passing by here, so he always acted cautiously. He would not kill anyone personally, nor would he allow those demons and ghosts to come to his teahouse, so as to avoid being noticed.

In this way, he didn't have to do much, just provide some information, and he could earn a lot of money to cover his own cultivation expenses.

……

"That person doesn't seem like a good person!"

Qing Wan in the pocket said softly.

Lu Zheng smiled when he heard this and said, "I think so too."

Based on his experience in judging people, Wang Wu didn't seem like a good person, but he didn't sense any special atmosphere in the teahouse.

Maybe the other party is just a black-hearted shopkeeper?

Lu Zheng originally wanted to stay overnight in the teahouse, perhaps he could find some clues.

But it's still early now, and if I ask for accommodation, it will make the other party alert.

So he thought of taking a walk in the nearby mountains and fields.

Lu Zheng was not in a hurry about the affairs of Hongzhou City. It wouldn't take much time to travel there.

Now that I have encountered this situation, I naturally have to figure it out.

Walking on the mountain county road, Lu Zheng's pace was neither fast nor slow.

After walking about three or four miles, the forest became somewhat quiet.

Lu Zheng's heart moved slightly, and he vaguely sensed a hint of danger.

He glanced around and saw a cold light coming at him quickly.

It was an iron arrow that cut through the air, flashing a cold light, and flew straight towards them, as fast as a meteor.

Lu Zheng suddenly raised his hand, and a tiger shadow appeared on his big hand, grabbing quickly.

The iron arrow was so fast that it left no trace and was caught in his palm in an instant.

The arrow tip was sharp and there was a faint light flashing, indicating that it was a poisoned arrow.

Lu Zheng's eyes moved slightly and he looked in the direction where the arrow came from.

I saw a figure swaying in the dense forest, fleeing into the distance.

If he missed the first attack, he would just run away. He acted decisively.

Lu Zheng took a step and followed like flying.

When they arrived at the location where the arrows were launched, a heavy crossbow was still abandoned there.

Lu Zheng quickly sensed a hint of demonic energy in the air.

Without any hesitation, Lu Zheng took out a talisman and activated it.

The talisman was activated in an instant, then turned into a stream of light and followed the direction of the evil spirit.

Lu Zheng moved quickly and hurriedly caught up.

After chasing for a while, they came to a big tree and saw a hidden cave entrance.

The entrance to the cave is narrow and people can barely pass through.

Lu Zheng took out two attack talismans again and threw them into the cave.

After a while, there was no response. Qing Wan whispered, "Shall I go take a look?"

Lu Zheng thought for a moment and said, "Send the bean soldiers. This monster is a bit clever and difficult to deal with. It might be dangerous for you to go."

Upon hearing this, Qing Wan scattered a few bean soldiers, who rushed into the cave one after another.

However, Qingwan soon lost her sense of the bean soldiers.

She frowned and said, "It's very complicated inside. I didn't find any monsters..."

Lu Zheng pondered for a moment. The other party escaped so quickly that even its shadow was nowhere to be seen. It would probably be unrealistic to dig it out of its nest in the mountains.

He turned and left, walking back onto the county road again.

At first, he thought he had met the killer again.

Now it seems that the monster should be a local monster, and it was able to prepare to attack him so quickly. If no one informed him, he would never believe it.

It's impossible for a monster to just hold a heavy crossbow and wait in the woods every day, and then just happen to run into him, right?
Wang Wu half-closed his eyes, leisurely waiting for good news.

In his hazy vision, a figure appeared. He couldn't help but look carefully, and then found that it was Lu Zheng who had returned.

Lu Zheng strode into the teahouse, picked up a heavy crossbow loaded with arrows, pointed it at Wang Wu, and said calmly, "Do you have any last words?"

Wang Wu was shocked when he saw this. He recognized this heavy crossbow.

I spent a lot of money to buy this heavy crossbow on the black market for the monster to use, so that it would be easier for it to kill people.

He said in panic, "You, what are you going to do? If you want to kill people and steal their property, then take the money and spare my life!"

"Pretending to be confused?" Lu Zheng narrowed his eyes slightly.

"I don't understand what you are talking about." Wang Wu said stubbornly.

But his evasive eyes had already betrayed him.

Lu Zheng said calmly, "You should know the consequences of colluding with demons and ghosts to harm others. Tell the truth, and perhaps I can give you a quick death."

"What evidence do you have to accuse me of a crime?" Wang Wu said.

Lu Zheng came back, but the demon was gone. He thought that the demon had either escaped or died. Without the demon's testimony, he would not admit what he had done.

Lu Zheng pulled out a talisman and said, "This is a truth talisman. If you tell the truth, there will be no harm. If you lie, your intestines will burst and you will die in pain for an hour. Do you dare to swallow it?"

Lu Zhengke didn't have any mantra talismans, he just wanted to scare Wang Wu.

Wang Wu's face changed slightly. He didn't dare to agree, but asked, "Who are you? You're not an official. How dare you lynch me?"

Lu Zheng said calmly, "My last name is Lu, and my given name is Zheng."

Lu Zheng? Wang Wu thought to himself that it was not good to encounter such a person.

He had already heard about many of the things Lu Zheng had done. He killed evil demons and ghosts without blinking an eye. He didn't know how many demons and ghosts had died at his hands.

It is also said that Lu Zheng has close ties with the government, so there is no way he can defeat him.

Over the years, I have rarely made mistakes, but this time I was wrong.

Wang Wuqiang remained calm, a smile on his face as he said, "So it's Mr. Lu. I've long heard of your name! I wonder how I've offended you to have you accuse me of colluding with demons?"

"Then shall we go see the official?" Lu Zheng said.

How could Wang Wu dare to go see the officials? With Lu Zheng's reputation, even if he refused to plead guilty, he could not clear his name. Besides, he was not innocent to begin with.

Suddenly, Wang Wu looked towards the nearby county road and shouted, "Someone's coming! Help! Someone's hiding a heavy crossbow and trying to rob people!"

Lu Zheng had already noticed the sound of carriages and horses behind him, and thought to himself that Wang Wu was really good at throwing dirty water.

Seeing this, Lu Zheng had an idea and slowly put down his heavy crossbow, revealing a flaw.

Wang Wu's eyes suddenly lit up and he rushed into the next room.

Lu Zheng put away his heavy crossbow and hurriedly followed him into the room.

But there was a flash of a knife, and a heavy Mo Dao came slashing down.

Lu Zheng dodged sideways, but another puff of poisonous powder hit his face, hindering his movements.

Then, Wang Wu rushed out of the teahouse with his sword in hand, shouting, "I am Wang Wu, the owner of the teahouse. Someone is causing trouble. Please help me!"

Seeing that he couldn't deal with Lu Zheng, Wang Wu thought of dragging other people into the water to buy himself time to escape.

Among the people who came, there happened to be someone he felt familiar with, who must be a customer who had been to the teahouse before.

I saw a clean and spacious carriage traveling on the county road, guarded by several horse-riding guards in front and behind.

One can tell at a glance that this group of people are of extraordinary status.

"Stop this guy!"

A woman's clear voice came from the carriage.

Upon hearing this, the guard in front immediately drew his sword, dismounted, and ran towards Wang Wu.

Wang Wu was shocked. Why were they coming towards him?

With pursuers behind him and blockades in front of him, he quickly fled to the nearby forest.

However, Wang Wu suddenly felt a sharp pain in his right leg. He staggered and fell down, trying to steady himself.

The guard who came over was already close, and he smashed down with the back of his knife, knocking Wang Wu to the ground and snatching the weapon from his hand.

Wang Wu was hit hard on the back and gasped in pain. In addition, one of his legs was injured, so he couldn't escape.

Seeing this, Lu Zheng's longbow condensed in his hand dissipated, and he walked towards Wang Wu slowly.

Unexpectedly, someone saw the injustice and helped him.

If it weren't for the need to clarify some things, Lu Zheng would have taken action to deal with Wang Wu long ago.

(End of this chapter)