bookbashuk Chapter 27 Investigation!
Chapter 27 Investigation!
It was already late at night when I returned to Bailianfang.
This was the first time Shen An had come home so late.
The gatekeeper rubbed his sleepy eyes, but the moment he saw that familiar figure, his sleepiness was completely dispelled by an invisible chill.
Tonight, Senior Brother Shen is completely different from usual.
His blue outer robe was torn in several long rips, and the newly forged heavy sword in his hand also bore several marks of combat, clearly indicating that it had been through a major battle.
"No need to make a fuss," Shen An said in a soft, hoarse voice. "Go and immediately invite Junior Brother Li and Junior Brother Feng to my study. I have important matters to discuss with them, and I need to be quick."
The waiter didn't dare ask any more questions and scrambled to the backyard.
When Li Qingde and Feng Changrong arrived at the study, still half asleep and in a hurry, they were startled to see Shen An's appearance.
"Senior brother, what happened to you...?" Feng Changrong exclaimed in surprise when he saw the tears and bloodstains on Shen An's clothes, and all sleepiness vanished.
Li Qingde's heart skipped a beat. After being assigned to Hengyang to assist Shen An, he considered himself Shen An's staunch support, having already bound his life and fortune to the future of this young senior brother. Seeing Shen An's appearance now, he instinctively sensed a dangerous aura.
"It's alright, we just encountered some bad guys on the way." He didn't give the two a chance to ask questions and went straight to the point: "Let's talk about the Light Sound Sword first."
What difference does it make if the matter of the Light Sound Sword is delayed by a day or a day earlier? Feng Changrong and Li Qingde knew that things were not so simple and that there must be some other important matter, but they went along with Shen An's story.
Li Qingde composed himself and bowed, saying, "Yes. As per my senior brother's previous instructions, the story of 'Dugu Qiubai' and 'Qingyin Fairy' is now known to everyone in Hengyang City, and traveling merchants have spread it throughout the entire Huguang region. I believe the time is ripe, and it's time to move on to the next step."
"Hmm." Shen An nodded slightly, walked to the desk, and slowly said, "Yes, make sure everyone believes that our Hundred Refinements Workshop found the remains of Fairy Qingyin's sword and restored it. Next, we can prepare for the warm-up for the Sword Testing Tournament. This matter... Junior Brother Feng, please help Junior Brother Li out."
Feng Changrong nodded in agreement. He was getting bored to death in Hengyang and was wondering what to do. However, he was a little puzzled. Did his senior brother call him here just for this?
After arranging the matter of the Light Sound Sword, Shen An's gaze fell on Feng Changrong, who was still somewhat confused. He took out a letter that had been prepared in advance and sealed tightly with sealing wax from his sleeve and handed it over.
"Junior Brother Feng." His expression returned to its usual businesslike seriousness. "These are the results of my mission over the past twenty days. Uncle Lu must be pressing me hard for the results."
Feng Changrong took the letter, feeling somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected that while planning his business ventures, Senior Brother Shen would also be able to handle the sect's tasks so well.
"You found it so quickly?" He was somewhat surprised.
"We've finally made some progress," Shen An said calmly. "Send it out immediately using the fastest channels within your sect. It must be sent out tonight. Delay could lead to unforeseen circumstances."
"Yes! Don't worry, senior brother, I'll take care of it right away!" Feng Changrong didn't dare to delay for a moment. He carefully put the letter into his pocket, accepted the order, and left quickly.
Only Shen An and Li Qingde remained in the study.
"Junior Brother Li," Shen An's voice was a few decibels lower than before, "I have another personal matter that I would like to entrust to you to investigate."
Seeing his solemn expression, Li Qingde also straightened up and said respectfully, "Senior brother, please speak freely. As long as it is something I can do, I will not refuse."
"I would like to ask you to use all of Bailianfang's channels in various places to help me find a scripture," Shen An said, enunciating each word clearly. "The scripture is called—the Dragon Elephant Prajna Sutra."
"The Dragon Elephant Prajna Sutra?" Li Qingde searched his memory for a moment, then shook his head blankly. "Junior brother is ignorant and has never heard of this sutra."
"This scripture is a supreme text of Tantric Buddhism, not widely circulated and extremely rare. If the original scripture cannot be found, so be it. We can search for other Tantric texts for you, as many as you need, the more the better."
"I have recently been practicing the Songshan Sword Technique, but I feel I have reached a bottleneck. I wish to explore another path, seeking opportunities for breakthrough through the integration of Buddhist teachings and martial arts. This matter concerns my future in martial arts, so I hope you will take it seriously, junior brother," Shen An explained. He could not reveal that he possessed the incomplete scroll, so he could only use the pretext of studying martial arts.
Upon hearing that it concerned Shen An's martial arts cultivation, Li Qingde dared not be negligent in the slightest and immediately bowed respectfully: "Senior Brother, rest assured! Hundred Refinements Workshop's trade routes cover the entire country, and we have dealings with all sorts of people from all walks of life. Although this matter is difficult, Junior Brother will certainly do his utmost to gather all the necessary materials for Senior Brother!"
"Thank you for your trouble." After Li Qingde also took his leave, Shen An finally felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders.
The moon was high in the sky, and the night was cool as water.
Li Qingde quietly left the backyard, his steps hurried, but his heart was burning with passion.
In the corridor, he caught up with Feng Changrong, who was on his way to arrange the carrier pigeons.
"Senior Brother Feng, please wait."
The two walked side by side in the quiet corridor, the moonlight casting long shadows of them.
"Junior Brother Li, do you think... with Senior Brother Shen's extraordinary talent, it's not impossible that he might replace Shi Dengda as the eldest disciple when he returns to the mountain?" Li Qingde finally couldn't hold back and voiced his excitement and speculation. He considered himself Shen An's confidant and was naturally eager to know Shen An's true position in Songshan.
"Be careful what you say!"
Feng Changrong's reaction was much more intense than Li Qingde had imagined. He pulled Li Qingde into the shadow of the pillars, looked around nervously, and spoke in a low voice, with a hint of fear and resentment.
"Junior Brother Li! You only know that Senior Brother Shen is exceptionally talented, but you don't know why he would condescend to come to Hengyang City!"
"What do you mean?" Li Qingde's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition rose within him.
"You think this is training within the sect?" Feng Changrong shook his head with a bitter smile, his voice full of bitterness. "This is clearly exile! If it weren't for the conflict with Senior Brother Shi Dengda, how could someone as talented as Senior Brother Shen have ended up in this place, doing such dirty and tiring work!"
"What?!" Li Qingde was struck dumb, standing there stunned. He was just an outer disciple in charge of the Bailianfang business, how could he know such shocking secrets within the core power circle of the Songshan Sect?
He thought he was adding icing on the cake, clinging to a golden thigh destined for meteoric rise. Little did he know that he had staked his entire fortune on a disgraced figure who had already been "exiled" in an uncertain political struggle.
it's over...
Li Qingde's face turned deathly pale instantly.
However, after a brief moment of shock and fear, an even stronger flame suddenly ignited from the deepest part of his heart, instantly burning through his limbs and bones!
bet!
As the saying goes, fortune favors the bold!
"I understand..." Li Qingde murmured to himself. He slowly raised his head, his eyes burning with an almost fanatical light that made Feng Changrong, who was standing next to him, feel a chill.
"Senior Brother Feng, you were sent by Uncle Lu to assist Senior Brother Shen. I'm afraid that in other people's eyes, you've also been branded by him." Looking at Feng Changrong's hesitant expression, Li Qingde said casually.
"Huh? Me?"
-----------------
Several days later, Mount Song.
Inside the sealed room, the candlelight flickered.
Lu Bai twirled the letter, delivered through the fastest channel, between his fingers and read it over and over again.
"Not bad, you investigated quite quickly." Lu Bai showed a satisfied smile, seemingly quite appreciative of Shen An's abilities.
He handed the letter to the stagnant shadow behind him.
"Ma Bao, go to Hengyang." Lu Bai's voice was calm, but it carried an undeniable chill. "According to what the letter says, investigate whether Liu Zhengfeng's private acquaintance is really a 'musician'."
"Yes." A hoarse reply, like sandpaper scraping.
A figure, almost blending into the darkness, appeared silently in the candlelight and took the letter.
It was none other than Ma Bao, the notorious bandit known as "Lightning Whip," who was famous in the northern frontier more than a decade ago.
He disappeared without a trace, and everyone thought he was dead. Unexpectedly, he had sought refuge in Mount Song.
"By the way," Lu Bai picked up his teacup, gently blew on the floating tea leaves, and casually added, "There's no need to alert the people in Hengyang, including Shen An. Young people are always prone to oversights; if we alert them, it won't be good."
"Understood."
Ma Bao's figure disappeared into the darkness again, as if he had never been there.