Five dry, five wet and ten kinds, desserts include candied fruits, chicken, duck, crab and bacon...
In the private room, more than a dozen people took their seats. The large table was filled with dishes and the aroma of wine and meat filled the air.
"I have only been practicing martial arts for one year, but I have already perfected the hammering technique. Brother Li's talent really makes us envious..."
"Come on, Brother Li, drink this cup full!"
"Don't forget each other if we are rich or noble! Brother Li, brother-in-law, don't forget me in the future..."
…
The atmosphere in the private room was very lively as people drank and drank.
Li Yuan was still sitting next to Yue Yunjin, but this time, someone else was surrounded by people toasting him.
Everyone at the table had different thoughts, but they seemed to be very familiar with each other as they drank from cup to cup. Although Li Yuan had a good drinking capacity, he felt tipsy after a while and waved his hand, refusing to drink.
Yue Yunjin got drunk faster than before.
"No wonder Senior Brother Yue is addicted to parties. The charm of social interaction can only be realized when you are flattered and flattered..."
Everyone likes to hear good words, and Li Yuan is no exception.
But he just sighed a little in his heart and was not obsessed with it. If Lu Bailing had not insisted on inviting him, he would not have wanted to come.
He came for the pure gold.
After having enough food and wine, several people got drunk and were helped away by servants.
Li Yuan clinked glasses with Miss Lu, chatted briefly, and then asked about the red gold.
"pure gold?"
Glaring at Huang Peiyao who was accompanying him next to him, Lu Bailing frowned slightly:
"My father does have some red gold hidden away, but he is not here, and I don't know where he keeps it... When he comes back, I will ask you to get some for you."
"The county magistrate is not in the city?"
Li Yuan's heart moved slightly, but he could only thank him and did not ask any further questions.
"It's not a big deal."
Miss Lu was somewhat reserved. Although she tried her best to facilitate this banquet, she did not drink much wine and did not talk much to Li Yuan. Most of the time, she only talked to Huang Peiyao.
Li Yuan thanked him. His purpose was achieved and he had no intention of staying. After a while, he made an excuse and helped Yue Yunjin back to the weapon forging shop together with Wu Ming.
Liu Zheng didn't drink much and saw each other off all the way.
"Brother-in-law is probably quite depressed, just like Miss Lu and me before..."
After coming out of the house, Liu Zheng felt a little emotional:
"I heard from my father that there are only two recommendation places for each of the heroes seeking envoys in the Valley of the Divine Weapons. Only with this wooden sign in hand will you be eligible to participate in the assessment of the inner gate of the Valley of the Divine Weapons next year..."
"Is it an internal examination?"
Li Yuan frowned slightly: "Since there are two quotas, hasn't Senior Brother Yue already been recognized?"
"Fang Nuxia is just a deputy envoy. She only has one recommendation quota. If she gives it to you, she will naturally take back what she gave before..."
Liu Zheng smiled bitterly:
"Brother Li must also know the difference between the outer door and the inner door, right?"
"Senior Brother Yue's recommendation quota will be taken back?"
Li Yuan frowned slightly.
Not to mention the Divine Weapon Valley, the Weapon Forging Shop alone also has internal and external differences. The treatment of the disciples in the inner courtyard is much better than that in the outer courtyard.
Naturally, there are great differences between the inner and outer gates of the Divine Soldier Valley.
"I will definitely take it back, otherwise Miss Lu wouldn't be so depressed before."
Seeing Li Yuan frowning, Liu Zheng shook his head slightly:
"Brother Li, don't think that you have snatched Brother Yue's quota. This quota is reserved for those who are capable...Brother Yue is good in character, but his talent is far inferior to yours.
Even if the quota was given to him, it would be hot for him to hold it. "
"Thank you, Brother Liu, for the tip."
Li Yuan cupped his hands and thanked him, then asked about the envoy Xunying.
"Major Xunying? After so long, no one in the city knows whether he has been here before. They only know that his name is Han Chuijun, he is known as Ghost Face Prajna, and he is good at using heavy hammers."
"Ghost-faced Prajna Han Chuijun? Heavy hammer?"
Li Yuan's expression moved slightly, remembering the heavy hammer master who destroyed all the Bodhisattva temples.
Sure enough, it was the Divine Weapon Valley that took action...
Li Yuan felt relieved. Seeing Liu Zheng preparing to leave, he grabbed him again and asked about the murderer.
"The inner and outer cities have been searched several times, but Nian Jiu seemed to have disappeared from the world, leaving no trace at all... Oh? Brother Li, ask about another one?"
Liu Zheng coughed a few times and looked a little unnatural:
"There has to be an explanation for this case, right? Well, in the past few days, if the county magistrate doesn't come back, he will have to dump the mass grave first. The smell is too strong, and even the Yamen can't stand it..."
Someone has to take the blame.
Li Yuan naturally knew the meaning of Liu Zheng's words, so he didn't ask further questions and watched him go away.
"Lu Yunqing isn't in the city either, so why aren't any of them in the city? ...Oh, red gold, red gold."
Li Yuan was troubled for a long time. He had already prepared the materials for Zhangbinglu's promotion, but the red gold was nowhere to be found.
After blowing the wind for a while and feeling a little more awake, Li Yuan returned home. He drank a lot and felt sleepy. He fell asleep without standing still.
…
In the next few days, there were banquets every day in the inner city. Liu Zheng, Wen Yida, and even Miao Zhen and other martial arts disciples came to invite him to the banquet. Li Yuan mostly declined.
After the news of that day spread, the forging room became very lively. Many influencers from the inner and outer cities came to the door in turn, allowing him to truly experience the treatment Yue Yunjin had received before.
However, no matter who came to invite him, he would always refuse. After many times, he finally regained his composure.
He went back and forth between the forging room and his second brother's house every day. He practiced hammering while standing at night, taking elixirs to strengthen his strength.
A few days passed, and they went out of the city to look for Cao Yan's guards but returned without success.
Zhang Bi sent people to look for him again, but he had no choice but to take care of his business temporarily and manage the mines outside the city. He was so busy that he didn't see anyone for several days.
After work that day, Li Yuan did not go home. Instead, he walked out of the city while it was still dark, with a clear purpose, and headed straight for the mass grave.
Huhu~
It is getting late and the wind is blowing in the wild forest.
Li Yuan quickly came to this mass grave, glanced at it casually, and saw a straw mat that was obviously newer.
[Human Skin Mask (Level 2)]
"Sure enough, it's still there!"
When he was two meters closer, Li Yuan caught a glimpse of the blue light. He felt relieved and took off the human skin mask without any trace with a touch of his hand.
Underneath the sallow face was a rough young man, with eyes wide open and extremely unwilling.
"I'll help you get laid to rest. Let this mask be your reward!"
Li Yuan took the body with a strong smell and found a relatively good place. He took out Yu Zhen's broad knife from the space of the soldier and dug a deep hole for the body.
"The gods of the ten directions, as numerous as sand and dust, have transformed themselves into the realms of the ten directions to help and save heavenly beings..."
Li Yuan buried him without knowing his name, so he did not leave a memorial tablet. He just recited the scriptures silently in his heart to save him. When he was about to leave, he suddenly became alert and ran behind a big tree.
With the peripheral vision swept away, he saw several figures rising and falling here under the afterglow of the setting sun.
These people, whether tall or short, all wore bamboo hats and covered their faces. The person in front of them was quite majestic and had a loud voice:
"Xu Feng! Have all the people in Zhenwu Hall been dealt with?"
A thin man bowed:
"Master Huixiang, my subordinates have left the mark of Zhenwu Hall in several counties, but only six came. There is also one who should be in Gaoliu, but his trace is unknown..."
"Keep investigating!"
The incense owner seemed to curse, and his voice turned cold:
"Cao Yan, that good-for-nothing, was scared out of his wits by Han Chuijun and disappeared for several months. Does anyone know where he is?"
"Master Huixiang, my subordinates found his whereabouts yesterday and have reassured him. He may be able to return to the city soon..."
someone replied.
"When he comes back, you guys will be his bodyguards for the time being. As for Han Chuijun, he will keep Lu Yunqing alive for fear of killing him.
Are you waiting for us to take the bait? Ghost-faced Shura..."
The incense owner sneered, as if he was talking about something.
But Li Yuan could no longer hear it, but he was very cautious and still hibernated behind the tree, motionless.
"no one?"
After a long time, a masked man returned to the mass grave, looked around, muttered a few words to himself, then turned and left.
Han Chuijun?
Cao Yan... stirred up trouble?
What kind of incense owner, the incense owner of the worshiping god?
"What kind of luck am I? This happened to me when I went out..."
Behind the big tree, Li Yuan breathed slowly. The few people gathered at the cemetery all gave him a very dangerous feeling, especially the incense owner, who was dozens of meters away, which made him feel a little scared.
I'm afraid it's even worse than Fang Yunxiu...
"Listening to what the incense master said, Lu Yunqing and Cao Yan seem to be in the same group as them?"
Holding the human skin mask as thin as cicada wings tightly in his hand, Li Yuan looked very ugly.
A county magistrate, a forging shop owner who has been forging weapons for more than two hundred years and whose influence spreads to all counties, plus an incense owner whose origins are unknown, there is no way they could get together to drink tea and chat.
"Could it be that he wants to rebel against the imperial court? No, he wants to rebel against the Divine Weapon Valley, right?"
Li Yuan's head was a bit big.
According to the laws of the Great Fortune, those who rebel will be punished by all nine clans, and those who follow, regardless of whether they are kidnapped or not, will be killed...
"I just want to practice martial arts well..."
In the night, Li Yuan remained motionless.
He just sat next to the big tree all night. When it was getting dark the next day, he shook off the dew from his body and hurried back to the city.
…
…
Huhu~
The night is about to recede and there is wind in the mountains.
In a cave in a deserted mountain, Cao Yan was lying on the ground like a vicious tiger. His breathing was very heavy, and he even made a sound like a tiger's roar.
"Shopkeeper Cao's talent is really great. He has mastered the bone-strengthening technique of Tiger Roar and Thunder Sound so quickly. No wonder the Incense Master values you so much!"
Suddenly, wind blew into the cave.
"call!"
Cao Yan exhaled turbid air, causing smoke and dust to billow in the cave. He stood up with a cold expression on his face:
"Feng Gang! What are you doing here?"
At the entrance of the cave, a masked middle-aged man stood holding a sword, with a cold expression:
"As ordered by the Incense Master, I will accompany you back to the city."
"Back to the city?"
Cao Yan frowned: "What about Han Chuijun?"
"That old guy used to be ferocious, but now he is old and frail. Now that the Incense Master is here, why should he be afraid?"
Swordsman Feng Gang sneered:
"The Tiger's Roaring Sword is very brave. If you retreat when trouble comes, you will never reach perfection in your life!"
"Whether Cao succeeds in practicing or not, what does it have to do with you?"
Cao Yan looked indifferent.
He picked up the knife and came out of the cave, looking at Gaoliu City faintly visible in the mist:
"It's time to go back."
