Leaving the Treasure Pavilion, Li Tan soon arrived outside the Dan Pavilion.
The last time he came here was to obtain a one-star Dan Master certificate so he could use the cultivation rooms, which resulted in a conflict with the Dan Pavilion staff. However, that incident also led him to meet Tang Leyin unexpectedly earlier than planned.
At the time, it seemed like a fateful encounter, but later he learned that Tang Leyin had actually been living nearby all along. The area around Linjiang Dan Pavilion was the safest place, so naturally Tang would choose it given her current circumstances. Considering the commotion she had caused, it wasn’t strange at all for them to meet.
The inn where Tang Leyin was staying was a property owned by the Dan Pavilion. At this hour, there was hardly anyone around, so when Li Tan entered, the innkeeper dozing behind the counter was particularly noticeable. At first glance, he seemed familiar, and upon a second look, Li Tan realized he was the very man who had obstructed him last time.
Had he been demoted to work here as an innkeeper?
Li Tan didn’t really care, nor did he want to risk being recognized and confronted by someone shouting, “It’s you who caused my downfall!” So he ignored the man and headed upstairs.
Unexpectedly, upon reaching the second floor, he saw another familiar figure.
It was a man with sharp ears and a monkey-like face, looking dejected as he was cleaning.
Li Tan’s lips twitched slightly, and just then the man looked up, and their eyes met.
“G-Gu… Master-in-law,” the man stammered in surprise. He was the butler who had caused trouble for Li Tan on his wedding night.
What was he doing here?
Most likely, he had been driven away by Lin Long or Lin Cui because of the previous incident. That explained why he hadn’t come looking for Li Tan since.
Li Tan nodded slightly, averted his gaze, and walked past him down the corridor, ignoring the fury and murderous intent hidden in the man’s eyes.
Generally speaking, cultivators would eliminate anyone who harbored murderous intent toward them, but exceptions did exist. In this case, Li Tan simply didn’t believe that this butler, whose name he couldn’t even recall, would pose any real threat in the future.
However, this was one of the rare times Li Tan miscalculated. He had no idea that his indifference today would bring him significant trouble in the not-so-distant future.
But that was a story for another time. As Li Tan turned away, the once timid butler began trembling all over, dropped his broom, and disappeared somewhere.
Although Tang Leyin hadn’t mentioned her room number, Li Tan quickly located it with his spiritual sense. When he knocked and entered, she seemed to have been waiting for him. She immediately pulled him to sit down and asked seriously, “There are two things I’d like to discuss with you, Master Li.”
“Please go ahead, Miss Tang.”
“Last night, you must have heard the commotion from the Celestial Fall Domain. Do you know anything about it?”
“That? Yes, last night I specially brought two apprentices inside for training in preparation for today’s martial arts competition. We had set up camp by a lake when we encountered a Cangjue hiding there.”
“A Cangjue?!”
“Yes, a Cangjue. Fortunately, its bloodline was rather diluted and its power wasn’t too strong. I scared it away using talismans left behind by my master. Nothing else happened.”
Li Tan told a small lie. The actual situation involved his rebirth, which he couldn’t explain.
“Martial arts competition?
You’re talking about the one for joining the Feiyu Sect, right? I’ve heard of it too, but why are you interested in such a small sect?”
To the Linjiang factions, the Feiyu Sect was a giant, but in the broader context of the Jiuzhou region, it was hardly more powerful than an ant. A single demonic dog from Tang Leyin’s family might be enough to wipe them out.
Tang Leyin already considered Li Tan her equal, so it seemed odd to her that he would bring apprentices for training just for a martial arts competition.
Additionally, although she recalled meeting Li Tan in Xuecheng during their childhood, she respected his privacy and didn’t bring up the question of why he was part of a major family in Linjiang. In her mind, she thought it might be something similar to when she traveled with her mysterious master during the Zhongyuan Festival years ago.
“This? Haha, my sect is passed down from master to a single disciple. My master only had me, and I will only have one disciple in the future. Therefore, I can’t reveal any techniques or martial arts to anyone else. That’s why I want to use the Feiyu Sect’s resources to cultivate some talented family members.”
“So you’re saying you’re going to the Feiyu Sect too?”
“Exactly. After all, I’m worried about them.”
Li Tan had two main reasons for going to the Feiyu Sect.
First, he was worried about Li Jiaying and the others. Second, the Feiyu Sect had been his master’s sect before his rebirth. He had some sentimental attachment to it and also wanted to make up for some regrets he had left there.
Otherwise, he actually had no need to go.
Tang Leyin seemed to be deep in thought. Li Tan looked at her rosy cheeks and smiled, asking, “After finishing things in Linjiang, what are your plans?”
“As for me? I don’t really have any plans. I’ll just wander wherever life takes me.” Tang Leyin lowered her head slightly, her eyes reflecting a hint of loneliness.
Li Tan felt a pang in his heart and gently said, “How about coming with me then?”
“Eh?”
“Don’t misunderstand. I mean, you could come with me to the Feiyu Sect. After all, you don’t have anything else to do, right? You could treat it like a trip.”
“Thank you for your kind offer, Master Li, but that would be quite inconvenient. I think I’ll pass.”
Thinking about Tang Leyin’s cultivation level, Li Tan sighed helplessly and said, “I suppose so.”
If Tang Leyin were truly accompanying him, even if the Feiyu Sect had the desire, they certainly wouldn’t dare to take her in as a disciple. Someone who could reach such heights before the age of eighteen undoubtedly had formidable backing. They lacked the courage to compete with others over someone like her.
Actually, that was still secondary.
The most critical issue was that if the news leaked out, those people would soon come looking for her.
“By the way, you said you had another matter to discuss?”
Li Tan changed the subject.
Tang Leyin also snapped out of her thoughts, nodded, and said, “It’s about Chen Yuanxun.” “What about him?”
Tang Leyin recounted in detail what she had encountered at the city lord’s mansion.
Li Tan fell into deep thought.
Why would Chen Yuanxun go through all this unnecessary trouble?
His goal was simply to kill the city lord, right? Pretending to care and inquire about his health was understandable, but why bother delivering medicine at all?
Even if he did bring medicine, shouldn’t it be poison?
“Why did he do that?”
“Master Li, do you have any thoughts on this?”
Li Tan replied uncertainly, “I used to think Chen Yuanxun was an inside man for the Black Robed figure, but now it seems I might have made a premature assumption.”
“Hmm?”
“After all, we don’t have any actual evidence proving he’s an inside man.”
“Didn’t he poison the city lord?”
“Perhaps he was also being used by someone else. Ordinary methods usually can’t detect slow-acting poisons.”
“Didn’t Ming Gong mention that his behavior has become increasingly reckless lately?”
“Recklessness doesn’t necessarily mean rebellion. If the city lord meets with misfortune and the eldest son, Ming De, lacks the ability to take control, and if Chen Yuanxun also remains inactive, problems are bound to arise.”
Tang Leyin was stunned, carefully pondering over Li Tan’s words.
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