I defeated the saint with a parry.

We left Xixiang Garden.

Xu Ling and Zhang Li were led by Li You to the reception hall at the entrance of the courtyard, where tea and desserts were served.

Xu Ling and Zhang Li sat on one side, while Li You sat in the main seat on the side closest to Xu Ling.

Li You didn't ask about Xixiang Garden, but instead asked, "I heard that this morning the two gentlemen went to Li Family Village and discovered a white snake?"

He pulled something from his pocket and placed it on the coffee table, then had the servant hand it to Xu Ling: "This is something my grandfather asked me to give to the Demon Suppression Division."

The object turned out to be a scale.

Snake scales.

"Huh?" Xu Ling was surprised. The white snake had clearly been reduced to a bloody mist by Xu Huaixu, and the snake scales that he and Zhang Li hadn't found in the snake's nest had actually appeared in the hands of the Li family.

"This matter was left on that snake demon ten years ago. Regarding what happened back then, my Li family has not lied or concealed anything."

Li You said, "After the snake demon was driven away, we thoroughly investigated Li Family Village and found no altar. Today's incident must be a deliberate frame-up, with the aim of making my Li family bear the blame for the white snake."

"If you two don't believe me, you can take this snake scale from back then and compare it with the white snake discovered today."

Xu Ling nodded and put the snake scales into his storage bag: "Whether it's the same snake demon or not, we will verify it ourselves."

"But Young Master Li, I have a question, and I would appreciate your clarification," Xu Ling asked. "When I escorted Li Xi and the others back to the Li family, we encountered a man named Li Hong on the way. He tried to ambush and kill us, claiming he was acting on orders from the Li family. What is your explanation for this, Young Master Li?"

"..."

Li You didn't expect Xu Ling to make a move on the spot, and even Zhang Li, who was standing next to him, was caught off guard and almost lost his composure.

Li You coughed lightly and drank tea to cover his embarrassment. Of course he knew Li Hong. His family had thought that Li Hong had gone out and had not returned. They wondered if he had been eaten by a demon or something.

Based on what Xu Ling said, it's highly likely that Li Hong's group was defeated by Xu Ling.

He also knew that Xu Ling and his group had encountered a demonic cultivator at the Spirit Platform Realm. Li Xi had mentioned this at the Li family last night, and even said that Xu Ling had personally killed that demon.

Li You didn't believe it at first, but now it seems that Xu Ling's strength is real.

A ruthless person in the Body Tempering Realm can kill a Spirit Platform Realm expert.

The strategy needs to change.

Li You pondered for a moment and said, "This Li Hong is indeed a member of our Li family, but he was expelled from the Li family a month ago for embezzling family property. Perhaps he hates the Li family and wants to kill someone for revenge. However, the Li family is heavily guarded, and he has no way to make a move, so he has set his sights on my aunt. It seems that he has underestimated Lord Xu's strength."

"Perhaps the person who tried to assassinate my aunt last night was also related to Li Hong. With him revealing information about the guards at home beforehand, the murderer would have had an easier time succeeding."

Given the strength of the Li family's defenses, the women's quarters were already heavily guarded; if that was the case on the surface, the covert defenses behind the scenes should be even stronger.

What Li You said was reasonable and well-founded, making it seem as if Xu Ling had suspected the wrong person.

Xu Ling smiled and said, "I see. It seems it was just a misunderstanding."

He gave Zhang Li a look, got up to say goodbye, and Zhang Li followed closely behind.

But just as he reached the entrance of the Li residence, a servant boy led a young master out. At first glance, Xu Ling's eyes widened, and he almost thought he had found a resurrected Li west.

This is what Li Xi looked like when she was dressed as a man.

"Master Xu!"

"This is Miss Li Xi's younger brother, Young Master Li Yang. The Second Master instructed me to bring him here."

The servant respectfully explained his purpose and pulled the person behind him to stand in front. The young master was holding a letter in his hand.

"Greetings, Your Excellency!" Li Yang and Li Xi looked very alike, but their heights were different. The Li Yang in front of him was even shorter than his sister, and his voice was weaker, like... a malnourished person: "This is a letter from my sister to you."

Xu Ling realized that based on her appearance, she had been playing the role of her younger brother the whole time.

Xu Ling took the letter, but before he could open it, he heard the servant speak. However, the voice that came out was not the same as before, but an old voice: "Li Xi's death has nothing to do with the Li family. This child is her younger brother whom she found in Li Family Village. You may take him away. If you leave him in the Li family, it will be a disaster, not a blessing. No one in the Li family can tolerate him."

Xu Ling recognized the voice; it was the second master of the Li family who picked up Li Xi last night. The second master of the Li family used a trick to speak to him through this servant.

Just as Xu Ling was about to reply, he found that the servant's voice had returned to normal, and the people around him were looking at him strangely, as if he had just been lost in thought.

Xu Ling then realized that Master Li had just communicated with him directly using his divine sense, and had directly made him see an illusion.

If one wanted to kill him, this method might only require a single thought.

Xu Ling indicated that Zhang Li was alright, then waved to the servant, who bowed and left without saying anything more.

Li Yang stood there in a panic, while Zhang Li looked at him, utterly bewildered: "What's going on?"

"Entrusted by an old friend." Xu Ling waved the letter in his hand, then turned to Li Yang and said, "You used to live in Li Family Village?"

Li Yang nodded, his demeanor just like that of a servant in the Li family, completely lacking the air of a young master: "Yes, sir, I have lived in Li Family Village since I can remember."

"Do you know what happened ten years ago?"

Li Yang nodded again.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Li exclaimed as if he had seen a treasure: "Was there really a white snake ten years ago?"

Li Yang shook his head: "I was in the city studying that day, so I don't know the specifics of the village or what happened... Please forgive me, sir, I cannot answer. My adoptive parents died around that time, and I later learned some things. A demonic calamity did indeed occur in the village back then, as for the rest..."

He fell silent.

Zhang Li was slightly disappointed, but he also knew that the Li family would not leave such a big loophole for their government.

Xu Ling read the letter beside him. Li Xi seemed to have known she was going to die, speaking of Li Yang with a tone of entrusting her son to someone else. The letter stated that Li Xi was forced to leave the Li family and separate from Li Yang, and that the two siblings didn't actually have any real affection for each other. But since he was still their bloodline, Li Xi couldn't bear to see her brother suffer the torment of family infighting after her death, so she thought of sending Li Yang to Xu Ling.

Unexpectedly, just as this letter was handed to Li Yang, Li Xi died suddenly.

The last sentence of Li Xi's letter was: "If Brother Xu sees this letter, do not forget the dream of Peach Blossom Village."

This is something only they know, and Xu Ling can confirm the authenticity of the letter.

This statement also serves as a reminder.

Xu Ling's first reaction was that the Li family also had evil cultivation methods, but the Li family had been able to establish itself in Fancheng for so long and become an old family. It was impossible for them to have no trace of evil, and the Demon Suppression Division was not dead.

Xu Ling carefully put the letter away, deciding to take the initiative. He turned to Zhang Li and handed him the white snake scale: "Please trouble Senior Brother Zhang to go back and report for duty first."

Zhang Li agreed: "It's nothing, what about you?"

"I'll take Li Yang to the martial arts gym," Xu Ling said with a smile. "I'm doing what I'm asked of him."

"Go to Songyang Martial Arts School and give them my name."