I defeated the saint with a parry.

Xu Ling was overjoyed to have lost 100 spirit stones in the registration fee and repeatedly exclaimed that Zhang Songyang would definitely be a good master.

Since the martial arts school provides room and board, Xu Ling doesn't need to worry about Li Yang's daily life; he only needs to focus on his safety.

In this way, Xu Ling can concentrate on investigating the case.

Before leaving Songyang Martial Arts School, Xu Ling specifically pulled Li Yang aside and began to instruct him: "If anyone in the school bullies you, tell the headmaster, or go directly to the Demon Suppression Division to find me. Understand?"

Xu Ling never expected that someone who never married or had children in her previous life would experience sending children to school in this life.

Li Yang was very obedient and agreed to all of Xu Ling's instructions.

Before Xu Ling left, Li Yang wanted to return the hundred spirit stones to him, since he had seen how reluctant Xu Ling was to pay his tuition.

"No, no, no, keep these for yourself." Xu Ling said with emotion, "A man can't be without any money when he's out in the world. There will always be times when you need money unexpectedly."

"Your health isn't good right now. If you don't get enough to eat at the martial arts school, you can go outside and buy some other food."

"Or you could go out and have a get-together with the other students from the martial arts school."

"You'll need the money for many things, so you can keep it. You don't need to give it to me even if you save it up."

Finally, he added, "Anyway, I don't need spirit stones for cultivation."

That's what truly stopped the child's idea.

Before leaving, Li Yang called out to Xu Ling, and with a determined look in his eyes, said, "Sir, actually, the letter my sister wrote wasn't from her, but from Second Master."

"Huh? What did you say?" Xu Ling exclaimed in surprise, "It wasn't given to you by Li Xi?"

"Yes." Li Yang nodded. "I only reunited with my sister yesterday, and I didn't stay with her last night, so she didn't have time to give me this letter."

"Yes," Xu Ling thought to himself that he had overlooked the issue of time. "Even if Li Xi was prepared in advance, as soon as she arrived in Fancheng and entered the Li family, she brought back her younger brother from Li Family Village. There was only enough money to settle him in the Li family. Li Xi must have discovered something and knew that she was going to die, so she wrote the letter of entrustment at the last minute. She had no chance to avoid the Li family and give the letter to Li Yang."

Xu Ling said goodbye to Li Yang and left in a hurry.

He neither returned to the inn nor to the Demon Suppression Bureau, but instead ran back to the Li family.

"What exactly does Master Li mean?" Xu Ling realized he didn't quite understand Master Li's motives. "If he's the murderer, there's no need for him to go to such lengths. If he's not the murderer, why would he take this letter and then specifically deliver it to me?"

The letter's implications against the Li family were far too obvious.

It was already afternoon.

Xu Ling handed over the token and soon saw the Second Master of the Li family, whose voice he could only hear but not see.

[Remember the fastest online novel website: 1 ...

The old man's demeanor was completely different from when he greeted people at the city gate. Perhaps even he himself didn't realize that a few strands of hair on his forehead were swaying wildly. His hunched figure also didn't resemble the bearing of a master of the Sea-Gazing Realm. The old man seemed to have truly become a down-on-his-luck rich man by the roadside.

How could the 'temporary' head of the prestigious No. 1 family in Fancheng disregard his image like this?

"Second Master."

Xu Ling bowed in greeting and, at the suggestion of Li Erye (Li Tao), sat down opposite him.

This is a secluded garden in the backyard of the Li family, containing only a lake and a teahouse built over the lake.

There was nothing on the lake; there was no wind or waves, and the surface was as smooth as a mirror.

The tea room features large openwork designs on all four sides, with only curtains and screens for decoration, indicating that it is intended for relaxation rather than living.

Li Tao slowly said, "Does our Li family possess some rare and precious treasures that have attracted the magistrate of the Demon Suppression Bureau to visit us three times in one day?"

The Second Master exuded authority without anger, and Xu Ling's hair stood on end.

This was an experience he had never had before, even in front of Xu Huaixu, but Xu Ling did not think that the second master of the Li family was stronger than Master Xu.

So the initial fear vanished instantly, and the discomfort gradually dissipated as well.

Xu Ling said, "Second Master, please don't be offended. I came here today to clear the name of the Li family. If you are unwilling, I will leave now."

They said they were leaving, but neither of them reacted. They even picked up their teacups and drank from each other's sides.

"Although you are an official of the Demon Suppression Division, you have no right to interfere in the affairs of my Li family." Li Tao stared at Xu Ling, his spiritual pressure contained, and a few strands of hair swayed as he spoke. "On the northern road, you were a guard, so it was fine for you to interfere. But now you are in the Li family. If outsiders attack members of the Li family, it is up to the Li family to find them. And what to do after finding them is also a matter for the Li family."

Xu Ling remained unmoved and said directly, "Second Master is right, I agree. But we are both in the Great Chu, in Fancheng. As long as this remains unchanged, any murder case that may be related to demons and evil spirits will fall under the jurisdiction of the Demon Suppression Division. Even if the Prince of Kang were here, he would still have to be dealt with according to the laws of the Great Chu. The garrison commander has instructed that Zhang Li and I will be in charge of this matter."

"Is that really what the garrison commander said?" Li Tao asked, not looking at Xu Ling, but instead looking at a dark spot beside Xu Ling.

Xu Ling turned around for a moment, and then saw a shadow emerge from the shadows.

The person was completely shrouded in a black robe and wore a mask. His appearance when he first appeared was as if he had materialized from nothingness, which was extremely eerie.

A token was tossed over by the shadowy figure and hung above the coffee table. Xu Huaixu's voice rang out: "Guardian Order, Xu Ling is in full authority to handle the Li Xi case."

The fact that the town guard even excluded Zhang Li directly affirmed Xu Ling's authority.

Now we have a completely legitimate reason to fight.

Xu Ling remained expressionless, surprised by the appearance of this person and even more curious about his identity.

After finishing this, Shadow glanced at Xu Ling and then disappeared into the shadows again.

No one knows whether he left or not, but that's no longer important.

Li Tao pondered for a moment, a hint of surprise on his old face. He then brought up something completely unrelated: "Do you know what the Li family's business is?"

He asked himself, "Does Fanlou know?"

Xu Ling nodded. What a joke! Fanlou is actually a business of the Li family. No wonder the Li family is the number one family.

"Half of the businesses in the city related to monster meat belong to the Li family, as do the inn businesses..." Li Tao paused here, looking at Xu Ling: "The Yue Lai Inn where you're staying is also owned by the Li family."

"But do you know what the Li family started with?"

"A dental clinic!"

Li Tao bluntly stated two words, then asked, "Do you think the most profitable business in this world is dealing with monsters? No, it's actually dealing with people."

"A demon beast, whether dead or alive, starts at fifty spirit stones; a person, whether dead or alive, starts at a thousand spirit stones at Jin Yu Lou."

"In a brokerage firm, a healthy young man can fetch ten taels of silver or a spirit stone; but in a brothel, the same young man can bring in ten thousand spirit stones."

"So ten years ago, the Li family completely gave up the brokerage business."

"Nowadays, the brokerage business in the city is concentrated in the southwest corner of the city. If you don't have 10,000 spirit stones, you can't even see a human or demon with special bloodline."

"In the ghost markets frequented by certain evil cultivators, evil techniques on how to use special bloodlines to raise demons and improve cultivation can be bought for less than a thousand spirit stones."

"Li Xi's death was similar to the deaths of the people in Li Family Village back then, but he lacked the method of absorbing vital essence. Perhaps the murderer was afraid of alarming me and therefore did not do anything unnecessary."

"I have sent people to the Ghost Market to search for similar techniques. If they find anything, I will let you know."