Chapter 102: Whereabouts

Jing Tongling's expression shifted slightly.

The news of Lu Xingzhou being a judge of Yanluo Hall hadn't spread yet. People currently knew him by his identity as a guest official of the Tianxing Sword Sect and his ranking of thirty-eighth on the Dan Master Newcomer List, which could be considered somewhat famous.

During the East Jiang demon case two months ago, because Lu Xingzhou was in disguise at the time, his significant role in it wasn't widely known.

However, people within the Town Demon Division system knew more details than others. At least afterwards, the Tianxing Sword Sect's actions in dismantling the Burning Incense Building were so high-profile that people within the Town Demon Division could infer that the Tianxing Sword Sect must have played a major role in the demon case.

Jing Tongling indeed immediately thought of these things and stared intently at Lu Xingzhou: "The East Jiang demon case wasn't as simple as it seemed on the surface, was it?"

Lu Xingzhou chuckled: "The County Governor was a demon in disguise, and most of the county officials were demons."

Jing Tongling was slightly startled: "You're telling me this so directly?"

"Within the official bureaucracy, I wouldn't dare to casually reveal this, but you are different."

"What's different about me?"

Lu Xingzhou laughed: "Sheng Yuan Yao's performance during the East Jiang incident, and Your Excellency's performance in this Dream Return City matter... are quite similar. You are both people who seek truth and justice. It's just that the East Jiang matter wasn't suppressed and unsolvable; it was a matter of rhetoric after it was solved, and Sheng Yuan Yao wasn't so intense. After I arrived here and heard about Your Excellency's situation, I thought, if Sheng Yuan Yao encountered an unsolvable situation like yours, would she make the same choice as you?"

Jing Tongling was somewhat surprised: "Miss Sheng of the Sheng family?"

"Yes." Lu Xingzhou raised his bowl to toast: "This Da Qian is deeply corrupt. The reason I feel it hasn't completely rotted away is because people like Sheng Yuan Yao and Your Excellency still exist within it. And..."

He paused, not continuing.

His own wife was a princess.

Little Bai Mao was still from a sacred land... by state religion standards, she could also be considered an official figure.

Jing Tongling scoffed: "I am a wanted criminal."

Lu Xingzhou drank his own wine indifferently and then said: "Some people wear the skin of officials but are actually demons and evil spirits. Who can say for sure? Some people are wanted criminals, but their hearts can illuminate the sun and moon."

Jing Tongling was silent for a moment, then suddenly drained his drink in one gulp: "Even if you're here to rope me in, I'll drink this wine with you."

Lu Xingzhou finally smiled: "Is there poison?"

He couldn't detect it externally, but upon sensing it while drinking, he understood more clearly. Jing Tongling's expression was strange as he checked internally for a moment; there was indeed no poison.

"You dared to drink it even though you thought it might be poisoned... Tsk." Lu Xingzhou refilled his bowl: "So even if the wine seems possibly poisoned, there's still a chance it's truly not poisoned... At least within the court, there are still people like Sheng Yuan Yao. Why must Jing Tongling despair?"

"Brother Liu repeatedly mentioning Sheng Yuan Yao means that just as you helped her deal with the East Jiang demon case, you will also help me solve this Dream Return City case?"

"Of course. Could it be that when Jing Tongling mentioned the demon case, it wasn't with this expectation?"

Jing Tongling let out a "ha" and laughed: "Don't call me Tongling anymore, it's awkward. My surname is Jing, and my given name is Ge, the 'Ge' from 'spear'."

"Very fitting for Brother Jing." Lu Xingzhou laughed: "Is Brother Jing hiding here to stake out the demon cultivator behind this?"

Jing Ge said: "Exactly. I saw you take out the soul banner as soon as you entered the door and originally thought it was you. But seeing the cute child beside you made me hesitate, and I felt it wasn't you."

"My soul banner, like Brother Jing's long saber, is just a tool, that's all." Lu Xingzhou said faintly: "Forgive me for speaking frankly, Brother Jing staking out a demon cultivator here is no different from climbing a tree to seek... uh."

Ah Nuo, who was quietly listening beside him, almost laughed out loud.

Jing Ge's eyes also showed a hint of a smile: "No different from traveling by boat on land? Didn't this land-traveling boat just arrive? What's your idea, Brother Lu?"

"First, let's clarify Brother Jing's objective in investigating this case: to root out the demon cultivator behind it, both to seek justice for the victims and to prevent similar things from happening again. Therefore, Your Excellency left publicly but is secretly investigating here."

"Right." Jing Ge said: "The Qian family's hundred-son soup wasn't completed; it was destroyed by me. If there's a demon cultivator behind this, then this matter will restart, and this old man absolutely cannot sit by and watch such a heartless thing continue to happen."

"Then this demon cultivator must have gone to find a new target by now. How could he still be back here for you to stake out?"

"This is also a last resort for me. Originally, I considered secretly investigating the county governor's mansion, but the difficulty is too high." Jing Ge's words changed: "So, what's your idea, Brother Lu? Could it be accompanying you to stake out Huo Heng?"

Lu Xingzhou was slightly startled, then laughed: "Those few words between me and my disciple were indeed meant for Brother Jing to hear. The purpose was to let Brother Jing know that I came here for other reasons and am unrelated to this demon. But I didn't truly intend to directly bluff Brother Jing into dealing with Huo Heng. Brother Jing isn't blind; what's the use of me bluffing a few sentences?"

Jing Ge smiled and lowered his head to drink his wine.

Lu Xingzhou added: "But I won't hide it from Brother Jing... Huo Heng may be related to this case, but he definitely knows who this person is and what they're doing. So, as soon as I heard about this case, I felt that I could cooperate with Brother Jing, and then I specifically came to find you."

"How to cooperate?"

"Presumably, Brother Jing won't release the eagle without seeing the rabbit... So, how about this: if I can make this demon cultivator actively appear and let Brother Jing catch him, then when I deal with Huo Heng later, Brother Jing will lend me a hand?"

Jing Ge raised his bowl and clinked it once: "If you can make this demon cultivator actively appear, then even if I miss and don't catch him, I promise to lend Brother Lu a hand afterwards."

"Then it's settled." Lu Xingzhou raised his head and drained the wine in his bowl: "Brother Jing can secretly observe me for the next few days; I believe it won't disappoint Brother Jing."

Seeing Ah Nuo pushing the wheelchair away, Jing Ge suddenly asked from behind: "You specifically came to find me just to get a helper to deal with Huo Heng? Wouldn't it be more convenient to hire a murderer or find an assassin?"

Lu Xingzhou didn't look back: "Brother Jing wants to stop the demon's actions; doesn't this Liu also feel the same way? Killing two birds with one stone, why hire a murderer?"

Far away, Pei Chu Yun had been quietly watching the exchange on this side. Until Lu Xingzhou left the Qian residence, Pei Chu Yun suddenly thought of something and became wide-eyed.

Now, Jing Ge was secretly watching Lu Xingzhou, waiting for a "demon cultivator" to appear.

Then how could she, Pei Chu Yun, a typical demon cultivator, still deal with Lu Xingzhou? She was afraid that as soon as she used a demon technique, Jing Ge would chop her from above with a saber first...

I am a demon cultivator, but I am not *that* demon cultivator!

The former Tongling of a prosperous major county's Town Demon Division, properly a fourth-rank official, or possibly even already a third-rank, plus Lu Xingzhou and his disciple themselves, how could she possibly fight them?

Pei Chu Yun for a moment suspected what possessed her before. Why didn't she sneak attack them when they were buying sugar on the street? What should she do now?

On that side, Lu Xingzhou leisurely entered a restaurant with Ah Nuo and ordered a table of good dishes. Pei Chu Yun watched expressionlessly, becoming more and more angry.

These days, she had been staring at this bastard, afraid of missing something, not eating anything, just taking pills to replenish energy. Now it was even worse; she watched their master and disciple pair eat snacks, drink wine, and order a big meal the whole way, while she could only watch!

No, that's not right. Why should I just watch? I can disguise myself a bit and openly order something to eat too!

Pei Chu Yun jumped down from the opposite roof without a word and openly entered the restaurant.

The waiter came up to greet her: "Guest, there are no tables left. Look at this..."

Pei Chu Yun's beautiful eyes swept towards Lu Xingzhou's table: "Isn't there an empty seat there?"

The waiter was a bit awkward: "That depends on whether they are willing to share a table."

Before he finished speaking, Lu Xingzhou chuckled, revealing his neat white teeth: "With a beauty sharing the table, how could I be unwilling? Please sit, Miss. This meal is on me."

Lecher.

Pei Chu Yun secretly spat in her heart, putting on a shy smile on her face: "How can I trouble you like that..."

"Our master and disciple pair can't finish such a large table of dishes. To avoid waste, we'll still need to pack it back to feed the dog."

Pei Chu Yun: "..."

She secretly gritted her teeth and sat down opposite him with a faint smile: "This young master is truly humorous."

Ah Nuo sat beside them, rolling her eyes at her while scooping rice. Pei Chu Yun ground her silver teeth even harder, thinking of being tricked by this little brat into the Sword Edge Hall in the past, that feeling of having her treasure instantly moved was still not cooled down...

Lu Xingzhou seemed to chat casually: "Is the lady a local?"

Pei Chu Yun smiled gently: "This is my first time in this place as well."

"Alone? No one accompanying you?"

Lu Xingzhou was somewhat surprised: "This world isn't too peaceful. A beautiful lady like you should still be careful to avoid being bullied."

Only you have bullied me so far! Pei Chu Yun sighed: "Others are fine, but I was almost bitten by a wild dog on the roadside; it was truly terrifying."

Ah Nuo almost sprayed out a mouthful of rice and hard covered her mouth, coughing. Lu Xingzhou's face didn't change, his peach blossom eyes stared affectionately at Pei Chu Yun's face, and he said gently: "If the lady trusts me, you can walk with me from now on."

Oh, trying to use a charm technique on this old lady?

No, this isn't a charm technique; there's no technique reaction... but these eyes are good at deceiving, how are they the same as someone using a charm technique?

But in this current situation, isn't she accidentally achieving her initial goal of "approaching and seducing Lu Xingzhou"? Pei Chu Yun's mind raced, and she put on a shy pose, lowering her head: "With such a cute child accompanying you, how can I not trust you? May I ask the young master's distinguished surname and given name?"

Lu Xingzhou's voice suddenly became quite loud, seeming very proud: "My humble surname is Huo."

The lively restaurant suddenly became much quieter, and countless diners stole glances towards them.

Although Huo Heng hadn't arrived yet, the news of Fourth Young Master Huo coming here to be the county magistrate had already spread everywhere. This person publicly declared his surname as Huo, could it be...

Pei Chu Yun also put on an adoring look: "Could the young master be related to County Magistrate Huo?"

Lu Xingzhou pretended to smile profoundly and raised his cup to sip lightly.

Before the meal was finished, the news that "the Huo family already has people secretly investigating in the city" quietly spread throughout Dream Return City.

Lu Xingzhou laughed: "May I ask the lady's name?"

Pei Chu Yun's eyes shifted, and she said charmingly: "The young master can just call me A Rao."

Rao, the rope used to tie a boat.

Pei Chu Yun felt she was very cultured, but it was a pity others didn't understand.

Ah Nuo looked at her head very sympathetically. How could someone still think they were "green" themselves? Truly pitiful.