Chapter 649: Deep Fortune

If it had been constables or yamen runners, Old Man Hong might have had the courage to resist.

But Lu Yang was different.

In Great Xia, who didn't know Lu Yang? Cultivators knew he had fought the Heavenly Court Sect's Young Master Lu to a draw when he was a Core Formation cultivator. Common folk knew him as the protagonist of "The Legend of Dao Seeking Sect: Lu Yang's Chapter."

The Five Great Immortal Sects were supremely powerful forces, teeming with cultivation experts. It was said that within the Immortal Sects, even Qi Condensation cultivators weren't categorized by sub-levels. Their Bamboo Leaf Sect's highest-ranking ancestor was merely at the Nascent Soul stage, not even worthy of polishing the Immortal Sects' shoes.

Not to mention Lu Yang of the Dao Seeking Sect. He was an unparalleled prodigy who, at a young age, had already served as the acting sect master of the Dao Seeking Sect, and was destined to become its future sect master.

Even the city lord would treat Lu Yang with deference, let alone a mere Qi Condensation cultivator like him.

Meng Jingzhou glanced at the slightly smug Lu Yang, filled with regret.

He had been a step too slow in giving his name. Even if he announced it now, the effect wouldn't be as significant as Lu Yang's.

The young woman who had come out with Old Man Hong was also startled by Lu Yang's name. It was actually the legendary Prodigy Lu.

Compared to Prodigy Lu, her beloved was nothing special.

Moreover, this Prodigy Lu was quite handsome.

The two standing beside Prodigy Lu, judging by their positions, seemed to be of comparable status. Both were very handsome, especially the monk, who was the most attractive.

The young woman pondered which of the three she should choose.

Lu Yang narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Old Man Hong, surrendering isn't just about giving up. You also need to truthfully confess your actions."

"I'll confess, I'll confess everything!" Old Man Hong quickly declared.

"Where did the pendants you sold come from, and how many did you sell?"

"It was... it was about a month ago. Someone approached me, asking me to help him sell a batch of pendants. Originally, I didn't want to, but his cultivation was very high. If I refused, the consequences would be dangerous, so I had no choice but to agree to his request."

"That person also had another condition: I could only sell the pendants to mortals, not cultivators."

Lu Yang frowned, "Who was that person? What did he look like? What was his cultivation level?"

"I... I don't know his name. He was tall and thin, like a bamboo pole."

"And... I don't know his cultivation level either."

Lu Yang and the other two frowned slightly. It seemed the person selling the pendants had an ulterior motive, but they didn't know what it was.

"Fairy, wake up, stop cultivating." Lu Yang entered the Great Hall of the Spirit Space and gently roused the Immortal Fairy, who was practicing a dream-entering spell.

"Huh? What's wrong? Has lass Yun attacked?" The Immortal Fairy groggily sat up from her lotus seat, her eyes half-open.

"Something's come up. I need to borrow your insight."

"Yawn—what is it?"

"Look at the pendant in my hand?"

"A pendant?" The Immortal Fairy saw the pendant dangling in Lu Yang's hand through his perspective. "Who refined this?"

"Is there a problem with the pendant?"

"No problem, it's just that the refining technique is terrible, far inferior to this immortal's Yellow Millet Pillow."

Lu Yang was speechless.

"What about its target audience? Does it work for both mortals and cultivators?"

"It's too crudely refined, so it can only enter the dreams of mortals. The refining concept itself isn't problematic; if it were more precisely crafted, it could also enter the dreams of cultivators."

"If I had to point out a problem, it's that this pendant can record dreams."

"Record dreams?"

"It means whatever dreams were had using the pendant, and any effects on the dreamer, can all be recorded."

Lu Yang couldn't figure out what the other party was trying to achieve for a moment.

Never mind, he wouldn't dwell on it. Let the authorities handle it.

"And who are you?" Lu Yang's gaze fell upon the delicate young woman.

"I... I'm his junior sister. I just came to visit him on my way." The young woman was intimidated by Lu Yang's gaze.

"Oh, you're twenty years apart in age, coming to visit him late at night, a man and a woman alone in a room?"

"Yes, that's right."

Shi Chan stepped forward, chanting a True Word Incantation. A giant golden Buddhist character appeared on the young woman's brow. "Benefactress, please speak the truth."

Under the influence of the True Word Incantation, the young woman recounted her purpose for being there in full detail: "I asked Senior Brother Hong to kill an opponent named Fu Ling..."

Lu Yang was speechless.

Meng Jingzhou was speechless.

Why was it Miss Fu Ling again?

Since the matter was clear, there was no need to stay. Lu Yang left Old Man Hong's residence and found the patrolling constables on the street.

"Officer, there's another case here!" Lu Yang called out to them. It was to these same officers that he had handed over the robbery-cultivator who was also a killer last night.

He didn't expect to meet them again here.

After Lu Yang explained the situation at Old Man Hong's residence, the constables stared at him as if they'd seen a ghost.

Last night, he brought in an assassin who attempted murder. Tonight, he'd caught a group who aborted a murder plot?

The constables almost thought Lu Yang was an assassin from out of town, expanding his business by using the authorities to eliminate local competitors.

Soon, the constables contacted their superiors and summoned a large group of officers, escorting everyone from Old Man Hong's residence to the yamen for an overnight interrogation.

Mr. Zhong and his daughter, as witnesses and victims, also arrived at the yamen.

"Master, is the matter resolved?" Zhong Ming asked excitedly.

"Indeed. Your esteemed daughter's situation was caused by Kang Wei using a magical artifact. The truth has come to light; now it's up to the authorities to handle it."

"Thank you so much!" Zhong Ming was overjoyed. The problem that had troubled him for a week was solved by the Master in just one night. "And about the offering..."

"Five hundred taels of silver."

For Zhong Ming, five hundred taels of silver was but a drop in the ocean. He immediately pulled out a thousand-tael banknote from his sleeve.

"Master, this is a small token of my appreciation."

"That's too much," Shi Chan insisted on only accepting five hundred taels. Zhong Ming couldn't dissuade the Master, so he could only take out a five-hundred-tael banknote and respectfully offer it.

With the matter concluded, Shi Chan returned to the inn without even glancing at Miss Zhong.

"Going to Spring Fragrance House tonight to temper your mind?" Lu Yang chuckled. Following Shi Chan to perform rites was truly an eye-opener.

"Not so. Only one night has passed. It's not yet the time when this humble monk's desires are at their strongest, so it wouldn't achieve the best tempering effect. In this humble monk's opinion, it's better to wait three days."

"How particular."

When the three returned to the inn, they coincidentally ran into the Fu Ling sisters, who had just arrived back themselves.

"Oh, Master, you're back quite late."

"Performing the rites took some time. This humble monk observes that the two benefactresses also returned not so early."

Fu Ling's eyes crinkled into slits as she smiled. "Today was lucky. The client I couldn't finalize before finally agreed today. We discussed many details, and by the time I realized it, it was already so late."

Shi Chan chanted "Amitābha" and said, "Benefactress Fu Ling has profound good fortune."

"Then I'll take your auspicious words, Master. But today's events were indeed strange."

"I don't know what happened, but yesterday that client had so many unreasonable conditions, and today they changed their mind, saying things like they'd consider it an act of charity and virtue, and wanted to see if what the Master said was effective."