Chapter 8: The Immorality of Theft

The coroner tilted his head and glanced at Jiang Yu with a sly smile, saying, "What a physique, quite strong and powerful indeed." He reached out as if to touch Jiang Yu's thigh, which startled Jiang Yu into jumping aside. The coroner looked at Jiang Yu with a hint of grievance and sighed, "From the technique, it appears to be the work of a single individual. This person first rushed into the private room, killing fifteen people inside, then dashed out to slay five others who had emerged from their rooms. After that, he re-entered the private room, guarding the entrance to the secret chamber, and wiped out all thirty individuals inside that chamber."

Approaching the corpse, Jiang Yu curiously glanced at the dry body and frowned, saying, "How many people would it take to kill them?"

Jiang Yu was taken aback; he suddenly jumped to the door of the small room and peered inside—goodness, it was merely a small room measuring no more than one zhang in length and width. He turned back to look, and there were exactly 220 young people standing in the small courtyard behind him, having filled the not-so-large courtyard to the brim. Jiang Yu let out a strange cry, activating his spiritual awareness, intending to thoroughly investigate the mysteries within the small room. However, Li Tianba had already approached him, grinning with saliva flying as he said: "Brother Jiang, now that your direct subordinates have arrived, you should first undergo some training. Resolve the case of the Craft Bureau and the Crossbow Workshop, and based on your performance, we will discuss your future status. Whether you can master the spies of the Flower Camp and uncover more of its top secrets depends on how you perform this time."

A drop of poison stained the originally gray heart of the river fish with another layer of black. The river fish flicked its toes, and the convenient shovel that the monk had thrown to the ground suddenly shot towards the Buddha statue with a piercing sound. "Hey, monk, why are you still worshipping? This scoundrel is using the borrowing form technique, healing himself here with the power of your faith!"

The laughter of the monk leader suddenly caught in his throat, nearly choking him to death. He glared at Jiang Yu in a fit of rage, his eyes flashing with ferocity, and the crescent-shaped shovel in his hand was about to swing towards Jiang Yu. Fortunately, this monk leader still had some composure left; with a grim face, he angrily said, "I don't care who your elder brother is, where is the evidence of the crime?"

"Feng Qingqing? Who is Feng Xiaoxiao to you?" Jiang Yu looked at Feng Qingqing in astonishment

The originally pale-faced monk suddenly turned completely dark in the face. He tightened his grip on the convenient shovel, gazing intently at Jiang Yu's slender neck. Suddenly, he let out a long sigh towards the sky and shouted in anger: "The Buddhist sect is unfortunate to have produced such a monster. Quickly go and summon the abbot, asking him to preside over the situation!"

Faced with such a malevolent figure, what could Jiang Yu possibly say? Especially since this scoundrel dragged him out in the dead of night to the hideout behind the Great Compassion Temple, where thirty-six men in black were concealed, to inspect the more than thirty corpses that had met a gruesome end. Each corpse was withered and shriveled as if scorched by fire for three days and nights, with a large gaping hole in the abdomen, leaving no flesh or blood behind. The faces of the corpses displayed a terrifying expression of horror that could give timid children nightmares for three days and nights.

Where does the valiant Jiang Yu know about the great principles of morality and ethics, such as the natural order and the laws of the nation? He rode his horse straight towards the gate of the Da Ci En Temple, and when he was only a few feet away from the white-bearded guest monk at the entrance, he gracefully dismounted and stood directly in front of the monk. "You there, monk, what are you doing?" Jiang Yu loudly questioned, pointing at the tall and robust guest monk, whose long beard hung down to his abdomen and whose square face bore a compassionate expression.

After being entangled by Li Tianba for a while, Jiang Yu stepped out of the gate of Huaying with a stiff gait, only to hear Li Tianba calling out passionately from behind: "I say, Brother Jiang, the funding for the more than 200 people handling the case relies entirely on you to arrange. You must not let me, Li Tianba, down!"

Pointing to the scattered footprints on the ground, Jiang Yu bitterly smiled and said, "Our people have left quite a few traces, yet with that person's skills, how could they possibly leave even a single mark?"

A shadow shot out from the golden statue, which shattered in mid-air, yet the shadow simply threw a punch towards Jiang Yu's chest.

Zhi Yi forcefully suppressed the overwhelming killing intent in his heart, clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and said: "Amitabha, well done, well done. Benefactor, please enter the temple to offer incense and make offerings to the Buddha."

However, this case is not yet resolved. What Jiang Yu needs is a significant achievement, so how could he let this matter go due to a woman's compassion? Even if it means tarnishing the reputation of the Dacien Temple, Jiang Yu has no choice but to do so. He still clearly remembers Li Linfu's slightly drunken words from last night: "Little Fish, do you know how my elder brother reached his current high position? A general's success is built on the bones of countless dead. Hehe, how many wronged souls lie beneath my elder brother's feet? But who remembers them now? Today, among all the officials in the realm, do they not only know me, Li Linfu? I, Li Linfu, am now the Deputy Minister of the Censorate!"

Feng Xiaoxiao was utterly speechless, staring at Jiang Yu's strange, cackling face, unable to utter a word for a long time

Among the more than a thousand flower-adorned young men, including the old man sharpening knives, there were over thirty individuals with extremely peculiar appearances mixed in. Furthermore, twelve young Daoists dressed in blue robes floated out, with a large group following behind Li Tianba, charging forward. This sight frightened the officials of the six ministries outside the imperial city, causing them to retreat to the side, their hearts filled with trepidation, uncertain which royal relative in Chang'an was about to face misfortune by provoking so many flower-adorned young men seeking trouble.

Then, the main gate of the Huaying Yamen suddenly swung open, and Li Tianba, clad in bright armor, wearing a Qilin helmet, stepping in cloud-turning boots, and wielding a purple-gold hammer, rushed out while shouting. He looked at the departing figure of Jiang Yu and muttered, "You little brat, if I don't push you, you still play tricks! Seeing how you pretended last night, I know you have something up your sleeve! Men, set out for the Daci'en Temple! Gather the elite from the Sixteen Guards and all second-tier or above personnel from the Eastern Palace's command, and surround the Daci'en Temple so tightly that not a drop of water can leak through!" Seeing how you pretended last night, I know you have something up your sleeve! Men, set out for the Daci'en Temple! Gather the elite from the Sixteen Guards and all second-tier or above personnel from the Eastern Palace's command, and surround the Daci'en Temple so tightly that not a drop of water can leak through!

The river fish smiled faintly and said to the monk with a dark expression, "The Deputy Minister of Justice, Li Linfu, is my dear elder brother"

Jiang Yu felt quite frustrated. He angrily said, "Am I not qualified? What makes you qualified? What is your name? You have some nerve; aren't you afraid that I, Fish Master, will make things difficult for you?" In Jiang Yu's mind, some unwholesome thoughts began to echo as he contemplated making this class leader, who claimed he was not qualified, suffer a little.

The obviously dilapidated courtyard, in Jiang Yu's view, would be truly flawless if it were to harbor a dozen or so fierce ghosts. Just look at the several bird nests under the eaves, the weeds covering the ground, the stone steps that have already broken into seven or eight pieces, the columns with peeling paint, the window frames that rattle chaotically with the wind, and that old man squatting in the weeds of the courtyard, sharpening his knife with great effort. Accompanied by the 'clang, clang' of the sharpening sound, Jiang Yu couldn't help but shiver and asked tremulously, 'Is there anyone here?'

The master who killed the thirty-six Heavenly Gang Demon Stars extracted all their essence blood and internal cultivation using the Bone Extraction technique, condensing their cultivation into thirty-six spiritual orbs. As long as a robust and healthy body is found to infuse these orbs, it is possible to forge thirty-six top-tier masters anew. This is the sinister method of the demonic sect's 'Fire of Inheritance'.

Jiang Yu found himself completely immobilized, his entire energy locked down tightly, and the immense pressure nearly overwhelmed his body, which had reached its physical peak. What was particularly terrifying were the two beams of blood-red light shooting from the gaze of the shadow, which effortlessly drew all of Jiang Yu's consciousness into the sea of awareness cultivated through his demonic practice, plunging him into a vast ocean of blood.

The thirty-six essence spirit pearls of the top masters can elevate Jiang Yu's physical body to the highest realm of the Wood Body! Even that extraordinary being is currently only at the intermediate level of the Iron Body. This illustrates the immense allure these thirty-six spirit pearls hold for Jiang Yu

Over a hundred martial monks glared at Jiang Yu, furious that he dared to take action and destroy the Buddha statue, ready to rush forward and beat him to death with a flurry of punches

As the punch was thrown, the air within the entire Great Hero Hall was completely drained, and over a hundred onlookers, who lacked any internal energy protection, were crushed by the pressure. Their flesh and blood flew through the air, all merging into that single punch, transforming into a ferocious blood dragon with bared fangs and claws, opening its massive mouth to devour Jiang Yu.

Dressed in a hastily made white silk robe, with a Qian Niu knife at his waist, Jiang Yu rode a tall horse, arriving majestically at the foot of the imperial city, in front of the back door of the Flower Camp Yamen, near the Ministry of Justice. After presenting his token to the dozen or so flower-adorned attendants for inspection, Jiang Yu tied the reins of his horse to the hitching post at the entrance and entered the Flower Camp Yamen, which exuded a heavy, eerie atmosphere and appeared narrow and damp—a small courtyard with only a dozen rooms.

The Magic Door's Borrowing Form and Returning Soul Technique, an extremely bizarre and profound secret method, possesses countless marvelous applications that are difficult for ordinary people to describe. The person hidden within the golden body of the Buddha relies on this secret technique, utilizing the faith of millions of believers to heal the severe internal injuries within him. How could other martial artists or cultivators discern even a trace of demonic energy from that rich Buddhist power? Yet, by chance, they encountered Jiang Yu, this abnormal individual, whose natural heart can reflect the vast world, where not a single grain of sand or dust can obscure his spiritual awareness, thus revealing that there is another person within this golden body.

The head monk raised his eyebrows and, with a sinister smile, looked at Jiang Yu, who had been threatening for quite some time. Suddenly, he waved his hand, dispersing the formation of the monks, and laughed loudly: "With all the devotees and believers present as witnesses, if this esteemed official cannot find any evidence of wrongdoing within my temple, then it seems this esteemed official will have to accompany me to the Censorate for a visit. Arbitrarily framing the monks of this temple and ruining their cultivation is not a trivial matter; it carries a penalty of exile for a thousand miles." The head monk gestured slightly, and over a hundred monks cleared the way, leading Jiang Yu and others, along with a large crowd of onlookers, into the temple.

The river fish was very angry and indignant. However, more than that, there was a sense of helplessness, even a hint of resentment.

Ah! A monk shouted in anger, yet did not dare to truly resist, and was tied up like a zongzi by Feng Qingqing and others. He glared at Jiang Yu and shouted loudly: "My lord, how can you impose such a crime upon this poor monk? Is there still any justice or law in this world?"

Feng Qingqing and another class leader moved in response to the sound. As Feng Qingqing swept behind the curtain, she suddenly exclaimed: "The Wind-Splitting Swords are indeed all here? My lord, you, you, you are truly remarkable in your skills!" Feng Qingqing shook her hands repeatedly, and the thirty-six Wind-Splitting Swords, which had required immense sacrifices to craft at the Bureau of Crafts, flew out like a long rainbow, landing one by one in the hands of those flower-adorned young men.

The leader who had leaped onto the roof beam took down a large red gold box. Jiang Yu snatched the box and slowly opened the lid, revealing thirty-six fist-sized crimson blood beads inside. He shook it towards the head monk and said: "This monk, you are also a master in martial arts; what is this? Do you recognize it?"

Li Tianba struck the two purple-gold hammers heavily against the ground, crossed his arms, and walked around the courtyard, shouting loudly: "Have you all made any discoveries?"

Gazing up at the pitch-black sky, he opened his mouth and blew away the dozen or so raindrops that were falling. Jiang Yu pretended to sigh and said: "The human heart is treacherous, the human heart is malicious. In just two or three days since I arrived in Chang'an, I have encountered more events than I did in the previous twenty years combined. Alas, I truly miss the valley where I learned my craft, so tranquil and peaceful, free from the disturbances of this worldly life"

In a state of distraction, Li Tianba, with his upper body bare and only wearing a pair of shorts on his lower half, lazily emerged from a room while holding a wine jar. He quietly closed the door behind him and muttered, "What does it mean to be on a pirate ship? Damn, it sounds terrible. Oh, is that Brother Xiaoyu coming? Come, come, come, write your name on the guest list here, and from now on, we will be family." He looked at Jiang Yu's dazed expression and smiled a bit shyly, saying, "Oh, well, our Flower Camp's funds do not go through the Ministry of Revenue, so the budget is a bit tight, and it has all been used to renovate our secret prison. Therefore, this office looks a bit shabby, but what can we do? Everyone knows about our Flower Camp, but no one admits that we are an official office, so, hahahaha!"

The monk let out a long sigh, casually tossing aside the convenient shovel, and knelt before the central Buddha statue, murmuring a prayer: "Buddha above, the Buddhist community is unfortunate." The group of monks exchanged glances filled with deep resentment, glaring at Jiang Yu, and then they all turned and prostrated themselves, sincerely bowing before the statue. Even Jiang Yu could see that tears were streaming down the faces of these large, rough, and dark-skinned monks, which caused even the cold-hearted and cunning Jiang Yu to feel a slight stir in his heart: Aren't all these monks just bad people too? Even Jiang Yu could see that tears were streaming down the faces of these large, rough, and dark-skinned monks, which caused even the cold-hearted and cunning Jiang Yu to feel a slight stir in his heart: Aren't all these monks just bad people too?

A group of worshippers nearby expressed their astonishment, simultaneously praising this monk, Zhi Yi, as a wise and virtuous high monk, a true master. Jiang Yu, however, smiled slyly and leaned close to Zhi Yi's ear, whispering with a laugh: "Do you know why I spat at you? First, I said it was out of revenge for the guard dog I fed at the temple I stole from in Yangzhou, which was beaten by a monk. Second, I came to the Great Compassion Temple last night and smelled a strong scent of blood, realizing you are not a good monk, so I deliberately hit you. First, I said it was out of revenge for the guard dog I fed at the temple I stole from in Yangzhou, which was beaten by a monk. Second, I came to the Great Compassion Temple last night and smelled a strong scent of blood, realizing you are not a good monk, so I deliberately hit you. Which one do you believe?"

Jiang Yu sneered coldly in his heart as he strode confidently into the Great Ci'en Temple, accompanied by Feng Qingqing and others, who appeared anxious. With a sense of assurance, he felt fearless. After Li Tianba left last night, he indeed ventured deep into the Great Ci'en Temple. Utilizing his unique secret technique that allowed him to conceal his presence completely, along with his acute sensitivity to certain items, he found sufficient evidence within the temple that would bring misfortune to the monks—thirty-six essence spirit beads condensed using the secret methods of the demonic sect.

Li Tianba stared blankly at Jiang Yu for a moment, his angry fists clashing together, resembling a large monkey as he jumped up and down for a while, and shouted: "Withdraw the troops and return to camp, carry away these corpses, and seize these houses for the government. Tomorrow, we will find wealthy merchants to sell them, to fund the flower camp." After slamming his hand down, he picked up two large hammers. Just as Li Tianba was about to leave the courtyard, he suddenly turned around and asked: "Is there any news about the thirty-six Wind-splitting Swords? This group of thieves colluded with the craftsmen, consuming a large amount of materials from the storeroom to forge these thirty-six precious swords. If we can recover them, it would be a wonderful thing."

Li Tianba's eyes immediately turned red, and he growled softly: "Po Tian Luo, it must be him. Who else could kill the Thirty-Six Demon Stars in one blow? Jiang Yingtou, find out where that fellow is." Li Tianba pointed at Jiang Yu and shouted loudly: "Hurry up, aren't you claiming to be unmatched in tracking and tracing?"

With a sharp slap to the horse's rear, the horse let out a long whinny of "neigh---" and suddenly kicked its front hooves off the ground, charging forward. Feng Qingqing and the others were momentarily taken aback, but quickly gathered their steps, channeling their true energy to execute the advanced lightness skill of "Eight Steps to Catch the Cicada," forming a long line of four columns, their robes fluttering as they followed closely behind.

In an instant, the river fish found itself in a dead end

The monk clasped his hands together, slightly closed his eyes, a glimmer of brilliance flashed in his gaze, and he smiled, saying: "Esteemed sir, I am honored to meet you. I am the monk in charge of hospitality at the Great Mercy Temple, specifically here to welcome and send off pilgrims and devotees from all directions. Sir, have you come today to offer incense?"

Dazed, he pointed at his own nose and Jiang Yu exclaimed in astonishment: "Me? Jiang Yingtou? Oh, it really seems to be me!" He looked up at the sky, where raindrops were still falling, and suddenly smiled bitterly: "With such heavy rain and so many people stationed nearby, any trace would have been washed away clean. Do you really think I am a deity?" Jiang Yu helplessly glanced at Li Tianba, spread his hands, and said: "There’s nothing I can do; I truly have no way. If it were a sunny day, I could follow the scent and track them down, but now..." He suddenly smiled bitterly again: "With such heavy rain and so many people stationed nearby, any trace would have been washed away clean. Do you really think I am a deity?" Jiang Yu helplessly glanced at Li Tianba, spread his hands, and said: "There’s nothing I can do; I truly have no way. If it were a sunny day, I could follow the scent and track them down, but now..."

Jiang Yu looked at the furious expression of Zhi Yi and said with great delight: "In this world, if someone slanders me, deceives me, insults me, mocks me, belittles me, scorns me, maligns me, or tricks me, how should I deal with it?"

With a few strange laughs, Li Tianba heavily patted Jiang Yu's shoulder and said: "Go ahead, I, Li Tianba, have high hopes for you. Ever since Feng Xiaoxiao reported your matters to me, I have been keeping an eye on you. After all, your elder brother is also a member of the royal family of our Great Tang, which makes you more trustworthy than the average martial artist. This time, show your skills well, so I can silence certain people.

With a cold smile, Jiang Yu shattered the dantian of Monk Zhi Yi with a kick, destroying all his cultivation. A strange smile appeared on his face: "Regretting it now? Suffering, are we? Why didn't you resist just now? But even if you had resisted, do you think you could defeat over two hundred of my capable men?" Jiang Yu coldly replied, "It actually saved us a lot of effort."

Last night, he and Li Linfu were deep in conversation. He shared with Li Linfu the grand natural phenomena he had witnessed while learning his craft in various places, while Li Linfu recounted the deceit and treachery within the court. He described the brutal scene of the survival of the fittest among wild beasts, and Li Linfu analyzed the bloody conflicts and factional struggles in the court. In the end, it transformed into Li Linfu linking the cruelty of nature with the brutality of the court, as he explained to Jiang Yu how to establish oneself, protect oneself, harm others, and climb the social ladder within the court. Jiang Yu listened with great interest, like a crooked-necked young poplar drawing nourishment from a pool of toxic water, captivated to the point of nearly laughing out loud.

The allure of these thirty-six Essence Spirit Pearls to Jiang Yu is akin to the temptation that rice holds for a rat. Jiang Yu's body refinement techniques from the Wangyue Sect share a remarkable similarity with the indestructible body techniques of the demonic sect, suggesting that the latter is essentially derived from the former's secret methods of body refinement. If Jiang Yu can fully absorb all thirty-six Essence Spirit Pearls, his physical cultivation will transcend the current state of his body, reaching a deeper level, thereby allowing him to refine the true energy within himself and elevate his cultivation to new heights. If Jiang Yu can fully absorb all thirty-six Essence Spirit Pearls, his physical cultivation will transcend the current state of his body, reaching a deeper level, thereby allowing him to refine the true energy within himself and elevate his cultivation to new heights.

When Jiang Yu entered the courtyard, he saw three to five corpses lying haphazardly near the gate, with several more bodies sprawled at the threshold of one of the side rooms. A group of flower-adorned guards from the Flower Camp was stationed around the courtyard, and hundreds of archers had already been deployed on the surrounding high buildings to keep a close watch. What Jiang Yu found most unbearable was a gray-clad coroner who was crouched over one of the corpses, sniffing it with his nose, occasionally tasting the blackened lips of the corpse with his tongue. Jiang Yu felt his scalp tingle in horror; what kind of monster is this?

He chuckled to himself for a while, and Jiang Yu burst into laughter. With his hands tucked into his sleeves, he laughed, "Rest assured, I am merely sighing aimlessly. If I truly wanted to escape from the world, how could I bear to part with this vibrant world? Well, Brother Feng, we are now considered one of the leaders of the Flower Camp. What is our monthly salary, and how much is our annual salary? If the money is too little, wouldn't it be extremely difficult for us to marry and settle down in the future?" Well, Brother Feng, we are now considered one of the leaders of the Flower Camp. What is our monthly salary, and how much is our annual salary? If the money is too little, wouldn't it be extremely difficult for us to marry and settle down in the future?

Inside the Grand Hall, the head of the martial monks smugly pointed at Jiang Yu and said: "You, you corrupt official, dare to claim that there is any evidence of stolen goods here? Quickly produce the evidence, or else do not blame us for taking you down right now and sending you to the Censorate. The Censorate supervises all officials; if you are sent there, your entire career will be completely ruined." Upon saying this, the head of the martial monks burst into triumphant laughter, prompting the group behind him, who resembled butchers more than monks, to laugh heartily as well.

The monk, with a raised eyebrow, angrily exclaimed, "My lord, how can you say such a thing? The Buddhist temple is a place of tranquility; how could it be tainted with such filth?" The monk was infuriated; three to five beautiful women, in accordance with the flirtatious demeanor of the Tang dynasty's temple gates, were perhaps unavoidable. But thousands of beautiful women—what do you take this place for? Especially after the incident involving Miss Fei in the back courtyard of the Ci'en Temple the day before yesterday, when Master Baoxuan was captured, the abbot and the chief monks all emerged from their retreats to thoroughly investigate all the monks in the temple. How could any woman dare to remain in the temple?

A night passed in such turmoil. Dozens of lives vanished in Chang'an, yet it did not cause the slightest disturbance among the common people. By dawn, the citizens of Chang'an resumed their businesses, those engaged in extortion continued their schemes, and kidnappers carried on with their abductions and killings, all as if nothing had happened.

Jiang Yu stared intently at Li Tianba and said gloomily, "Invincible Brother, you must not let me down. My elder brother also said that this Flower Camp is a good place. But you can't possibly fail to even distribute the military rations, can you? Look at your residence, hmm? Now look at the courtyard of the Ministry of Justice in front, hmm? Aren't we trusted spies close to the Emperor? What, are we being raised by a stepmother?"

Feng Xiaoxiao was left speechless, and he exclaimed in a strange voice: "Brother Jiang, we are all here to serve the Emperor..."

"Who says adults come to offer incense?" Jiang Yu involuntarily revealed the demeanor of a small-time hoodlum from the streets of Yangzhou, and with a strange laugh, he said: "I am here today to investigate a case. Recently, someone reported that your Da Ci En Temple is secretly harboring thousands of stunning beauties, with monks indulging in revelry day and night. The senior monks embrace five beauties each day, while the junior monks can rotate two. This Da Ci En Temple has become a den of filth, and there are even nefarious individuals hiding within. Therefore, ah, hahahaha!

Embracing the grand ambition of achieving merit, establishing a foothold, seizing power, and colluding with Li Linfu to smoothly become the 'Tiger of Clean Streets in the Central Plains,' Jiang Yu endured a slight pang of regret in his heart. Leading over two hundred flower-adorned young men, accompanied by more than a hundred martial monks, and followed by a throng of hundreds of devotees and pilgrims eager to watch the spectacle, he charged towards the Great Hero Hall. Along the way, the monks from the temple and wandering pilgrims joined this increasingly large procession. Jiang Yu's keen perception also detected that many young men, dressed in various styles yet possessing sharp and capable features akin to Feng Qingqing and others, were secretly merging into the crowd. Jiang Yu couldn't help but mutter under his breath: "What a cunning Li Tianba, Li Wudi. Just as my elder brother said, have you really gotten used to pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger?"

Li Tianba, with a swift motion, excitedly jumped onto a white steed, only to see the horse let out a tragic neigh and its four hooves suddenly go weak. In a fit of rage, Li Tianba cursed a few times, cursing so fiercely that the ancestors of the officials from the Horse Supervisory Bureau could have jumped out of their graves. He, feeling disgruntled, picked up two large hammers and strode forward, chasing after Jiang Yu and his group. Behind him, the courtyard gate swung open, and nearly a thousand flower-adorned young men surged out like a tidal wave. It was hard to fathom what kind of mystery lay within that small courtyard that could accommodate so many people and horses. He, feeling disgruntled, picked up two large hammers and strode forward, chasing after Jiang Yu and his group. Behind him, the courtyard gate swung open, and nearly a thousand flower-adorned young men surged out like a tidal wave. It was hard to fathom what kind of mystery lay within that small courtyard that could accommodate so many people and horses.

One can only endure him, let him be, avoid him, tolerate him, respect him, and ignore him. Just wait a few more years and see what happens to him

Just as the conversation was becoming increasingly elaborate, the notorious Li Tianba burst in, shouting "urgent case" and seized Jiang Yu before making his exit. This fellow must have grown accustomed to barging into others' residences; to save time, he swung two purple-gold hammers, smashing through the front door, middle door, and inner door of Li Linfu's house, charging straight into the study where the two brothers were drinking and conversing. The three doors were reduced to splinters, and over a dozen guards were injured. Li Linfu, furious, turned pale, hopping in anger and cursing, "This life is unbearable! Second General, come with me to the door!"

The coroner, who was desecrating the corpse, slowly raised his head. His face resembled that of a weasel, and a wisp of malevolence flickered in his eyes as he hoarsely said: "General, including the thirty-six Heavenly Fiends, there are five corpses in the courtyard, seven near the entrance, fifteen in the side room, and thirty in the secret chamber beneath the side room. All of them had no power to resist and died with their organs shattered by palm force. Before their deaths, their vital essence was extracted by the demonic technique known as 'Bone Extraction Hand,' which is why their deaths are so gruesome."

Feng Xiaoxiao, who had long brought people here, looked at Li Tianba and shook his head helplessly, saying with a bitter voice: "Boss, not only did he not leave that treasured sword, but he didn't even leave us a single copper coin. His speed in taking action is frighteningly fast"

Riding on his tall steed, Jiang Yu swung the whip in his hand and shouted loudly: "Those who are going to Daci'en Temple, follow me!"

Jiang Yu laughed loudly, swung his arm in a wide arc, and struck Zhi Yi hard across the face. Then, he spat a thick phlegm onto Zhi Yi's face and laughed loudly, saying: "Some people scold the old fool, the old fool only says good; some people hit the old fool, the old fool simply falls asleep. With tears and spit on my face, let them dry by themselves, I save my strength, and he has no worries. This kind of paramita is the treasure of wonders. If you know this message, why worry about not being able to express it?" He pointed at the purple-red face of the monk Zhi Yi and laughed, saying: "Monk, if you get angry, you are a false monk, a flowery monk, just a bird monk harboring thieves. With tears and spit on my face, let them dry by themselves, I save my strength, and he has no worries. This kind of paramita is the treasure of wonders. If you know this message, why worry about not being able to express it?" He pointed at the purple-red face of the monk Zhi Yi and laughed, saying: "Monk, if you get angry, you are a false monk, a flowery monk, just a bird monk harboring thieves. Do you dare to hit me once and see?"

The secret method of the Wangyue family is based on the physical body and utilizes qi, without cultivating divine powers or practicing Taoist skills. It bears some resemblance to the legendary Eight-Nine Mysterious Skills of Erlang Shen. The lowest realm is the physical body, followed by the wooden body, stone body, iron body, copper body, silver body, golden body, earth body, sky body, and the indestructible body of eternal tribulation. With each advancement in realm, the strength of the body and the power of the physical form can increase by more than tenfold. The capacity for true essence within the body and the purity of that true essence can also increase tenfold. With each advancement in realm, the strength of the body and the power of the physical form can increase by more than tenfold. The capacity for true essence within the body and the purity of that true essence can also increase tenfold.

Shrugging his shoulders and sticking out his darkened tongue, the coroner said with a chilling smile: "One palm for each, clean and neat. This person's martial arts skills are likely superior to those of the general."

Jiang Yu fixed his gaze on the knife and suddenly his eyes widened in shock: there was no whetstone under the knife, and the blade was still a foot above the ground, yet it emitted a tremendous grinding sound, with sparks flying from the stone tiles below. Jiang Yu exclaimed in horror: "This old immortal, could his internal power be even deeper than mine? I, Master Yu, have consumed tens of thousands of pounds of spiritual herbs to attain this astonishing internal strength! Could it be that he is also a practitioner of the Dao?"

His hair was as messy as a bird's nest, his clothes were tattered, and there were two large eye boogers in the corners of his eyes. He looked like a knife-wielding old man who was at least eighty-nine, if not ninety, and weakly raised his head, weakly shouting: "How does this child speak? Are we old folks not human? Little Erzi, Little Erzi, another child has boarded the pirate ship, come quickly to receive guests, receive guests!" This coarse-looking old man let out a 'kekek' laugh, waving a long knife that was a full nine feet long but only two fingers wide towards the river fish, then moved closer to the grass and began to sharpen it with a 'clang, clang' sound.

A leader from the Pink Peony Brigade stepped forward, smiling ambiguously as he clasped his hands towards Jiang Yu and said, "Commander, the structure of the Flower Brigade is indeed peculiar, and this is not meant to deliberately make things difficult for you. When a new commander takes office, they must go through this phase. Once you have gained the recognition of the higher-ups behind the Flower Brigade, you will naturally no longer have to endure such hardships." This leader smiled slightly and continued, "The budget for the Flower Brigade is indeed a bit tight, but it is not as dire as the general's lamentations about poverty. In summary, there are many dealings within the Flower Brigade that you are not yet qualified to be aware of."

Jiang Yu's body shook violently, and he turned around to shout angrily: "How can this be? Where is the logic in this? Who are we? The emperor's secret agents, yet I still have to pay to handle the case?" However, Li Tianba, who had smoothly lured Jiang Yu onto the pirate ship, was already laughing gleefully, closing the courtyard gate, and leisurely going about his own business.

"Feng Xiaoxiao? He is my elder brother. He joined the Huaying camp a few years earlier than I did, and due to his numerous contributions, he was promoted to the camp leader. " Feng Qingqing said with a smile, "For someone like Lord Xiang Jiang to enter the Huaying camp and immediately wear the red peony is something that hasn't happened in decades. Even those renowned top experts in the martial world, which one of them did not start from the white peony?"

Jiang Yu interrupted Feng Xiaoxiao's words, speaking in a strange tone: "Brother Feng, we are also loyal to the Emperor, aren't we? However, loyalty to the Emperor is one matter, and making money and becoming wealthy is another. Loyalty to the Emperor emphasizes serving the world, while making money focuses on self-improvement. We must grasp both aspects and be strong in both! We can't serve the Emperor on an empty stomach, can we?"

"Hmm, with such a grand display bringing people into the Great Buddha Hall, I fear I can only obtain one or two of those spiritual pearls. However, if I do not bring people along, how could I dare to steal those spiritual pearls from the Great Buddha Hall? The aura within that hall is so terrifying, and that person's skills are likely so formidable that they defy natural law, already nearing the threshold of the Dao. I can only rely on the strength of the Flower Camp to acquire these treasures, which will allow me to establish a significant achievement. " Jiang Yu pondered, "My elder brother said that I must build a good relationship with the Flower Camp, so if I do not achieve anything, how could I possibly establish myself within the Flower Camp?"

The secret methods of the Demon Gate share a common origin with certain techniques of Wangyue. Although last night's heavy rain concealed many traces, Jiang Yu's sensitivity to the essence blood spirit pearl was remarkable. Relying on a nose more acute than a dog's and a spiritual awareness as pervasive as a gentle spring rain, he tracked it all the way to the Mahavira Hall of the Great Compassion Temple, where he happened to see the guest monk Zhi Yi examining the spirit pearl and thirty-six treasured swords hidden within the hall. This led to Jiang Yu's immediate act of deliberate insult towards the guest monk, resulting in the latter's martial arts being rendered ineffective.

Li Tianba gently clapped his hands, and immediately, the door of a dilapidated room swung open. From within emerged a flower boy adorned with a pink peony hairpin. Following closely was another flower boy with a pink peony hairpin. ... Then came another, and another, and another ... After waiting for twenty flower boys with pink peony hairpins to appear, a total of two hundred flower boys with white peony hairpins streamed out in an orderly fashion from the room. Twenty team leaders from the flower camp, two hundred ordinary flower boys from the flower camp, two hundred and twenty vigorous young men—this was the foundation that Li Tianba wanted Jiang Yu to take over—a batch of newly trained recruits. ... After waiting for twenty flower boys with pink peony hairpins to appear, a total of two hundred flower boys with white peony hairpins streamed out in an orderly fashion from the room. Twenty team leaders from the flower camp, two hundred ordinary flower boys from the flower camp, two hundred and twenty vigorous young men—this was the foundation that Li Tianba wanted Jiang Yu to take over—a batch of newly trained recruits.

Li Tianba, in a fit of rage, stamped his foot heavily, shouted angrily, and turned to leave. After walking a considerable distance, he suddenly howled: "That little fish, you better be here at dawn to report for duty, and then gather your men to search every corner of Chang'an City for me. Hahaha, I have already laid out a net of heaven and earth in this Chang'an City, so where could he possibly escape to?"

A general's success comes at the cost of countless lives

At this critical moment, Jiang Yu charged towards the crowd outside the temple gate on horseback, wielding his whip like a whirlwind, producing sharp "crack" sounds in the air. The kind-hearted commoners, frightened, scattered in all directions, hastily clearing a path; those unkind young nobles, infuriated, attempted to lead their servants to capture this audacious fellow who dared to act recklessly before them. However, they inadvertently noticed the more than two hundred flower-adorned attendants following this "fellow," which instantly terrified them to the point of losing their wits, causing each of them to slip into nearby alleys to hide. Jiang Yu, witnessing the scene of everyone in panic and evasion, couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter, naturally elevating himself to the status of the "Tiger of the Clean Streets of Chang'an".

Zhi Yi, the monk, was momentarily taken aback, his brows furrowing with a surge of murderous intent. Just as he was about to speak, Jiang Yu pointed at Zhi Yi and said, "Brothers, capture this monk. Look at his oily and smooth appearance; how could he be a good monk who has undergone苦修? Let's break his Dantian point and disable his martial arts." Feng Qingqing and the others were momentarily stunned by these words, but they immediately drew the bullwhip from their waists, ready to rush forward.

The squad leader smiled slightly and nodded, saying: "Naturally, I have a bit more seniority than you, the camp leader. I have been training in the Flower Camp for a full seven years, while you, the camp leader, have only been here for a mere quarter of an hour. My surname is Feng, and my full name is Qingqing. You can just call me Feng San."

Jiang Yu pointed at the golden-yellow curtain on the Grand Hall and shouted: "Feng Qingqing, go up and take down those thirty-six treasured swords. Also, find someone skilled in lightness skills; there is a red-gold box on the beam in the center of the hall, take it down carefully as well"

Feng Xiaoxiao was quite anxious, genuinely believing that Jiang Yu had thoughts of leaving the world behind. He hurriedly consoled him, "Brother Jiang, you must not think this way. The city of Chang'an is indeed not peaceful at present, and it requires our efforts for the Emperor and for the world. With your remarkable skills at such a young age, your internal martial arts cultivation surpasses mine by a considerable margin. Your future is undoubtedly bright, and it is not impossible for you to be granted a noble title. Brother Jiang, you must not entertain any negative thoughts."

Feng Xiaoxiao shook her head and walked over to Jiang Yu, whispering with a smile: "Don't pay any attention to that scoundrel Lao Tu. No one can get along with him; he would rather sleep with a corpse than touch a living beauty. Hey, I say, Brother Jiang, after you sign in later, you will be one of our Huaying brothers. Tell me, what do you think about our Huaying?"

Of course I know why! Jiang Yu laughed a bit grimly as he pointed at Feng Qingqing and said: "Because my elder brother, the Fish Master, is the Deputy Minister of Justice! Hehe, our elder brother told us, do you really think you two generals are just simpletons? Running over here to ask me to join the Flower Camp, giving away a precious sword for nothing? Hmph. We brothers are not unclear about anything! We brothers know everything!" He tossed his head back proudly and laughed: "Isn't it just about merit? Only with merit can one establish a firm foothold in the Flower Camp, right? Today, I will take you to see what true capable talents are!"

As the voice of Li Tianba faded away with the wind, the large gate of the courtyard and the two sections of the surrounding walls on either side collapsed with a loud crash. Feng Xiaoxiao and the coroner simultaneously lamented: "My general, it would have been one thing if you had merely stomped on the gate, but how are we supposed to sell anything now?" The coroner sighed deeply, then lowered his head to carefully examine the corpse. Jiang Yu observed again, seeing the dark tongue licking over the corpse, truly unsure whether it was a case of psychological distortion or something else.

Today marks a splendid day for the temple fair, outside the main gate of the Great Compassion Temple, a throng of faithful men and women, as well as young men and women, have gathered in a sea of people. The faithful are there to light incense and seek entry to the temple to pay their respects to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas; the young men and women exchange glances, engaging in playful interactions. In no time, the men and women, accompanied by two or three maidservants and several attendants, gracefully drift away, naturally in search of their paradise. The young men and women exchange glances, engaging in playful interactions. In no time, the men and women, accompanied by two or three maidservants and several attendants, gracefully drift away, naturally in search of their paradise.

At that moment, the convenient shovel flying towards the Buddha statue suddenly shook violently, transforming into countless iron shavings that scattered in the air. A deep and imposing voice resonated from within the statue: "You, young one, are truly malicious. You have taken my treasure and left, yet you still wish to destroy my golden body? Today, you shall not escape!"

The wine jar in hand was thrown far away by Li Tianba. This fellow, not knowing when, had pulled out a thick roster and a bald wolf hair brush. With a twist of his body, he had already crossed three zhang to stand in front of Jiang Yu, forcefully shoving the roster and the bald brush into Jiang Yu's hands: "Come, come, come, we are all brothers here, Little Fish Brother, write your name down, and from now on, we will be one of our own."

At this moment, the number of worshippers at the temple gate was increasing, and the crowd surged, completely blocking the entrance. The temple's warrior monks also appeared, forming an extremely large formation under the leadership of a robust monk to obstruct Jiang Yu and the others. The head monk pointed at Jiang Yu and shouted angrily: "Sir, are you trying to frame the monks of our Great Compassion Temple? Our temple's guest monk is indeed a good monk with a ferry plate, and you cannot slander him like this."

Jiang Yu smiled faintly, displaying an air of authority reminiscent of a flower's elegance. He leisurely imitated Li Linfu's official tone and said: "Oh? You claim that I, as an official, have falsely accused this monk? Very well, let us see. Monk, shall we make a bet? If I find certain inappropriate items in your Da Ci'en Temple today, will you concede?"

Li Tianba laughed heartily, firmly gripping Jiang Yu's hand, forcing him to write his name on the roster. He hurriedly tossed the roster to the old man sharpening his knife and instructed, "Quickly send this to the confidential archives, so that the esteemed Eunuch Gao in the palace can file it. This kid won't be able to escape our Flower Camp from now on." Suddenly noticing Jiang Yu's increasingly peculiar expression, Li Tianba quickly added with a smile, "Brother Xiao Yu, you just arrived at the Flower Camp, and I don't have time to explain everything to you. In short, now that you are in the Flower Camp, you will definitely not regret it! The brothers in our Flower Camp are like real brothers. With the Flower Camp looking after you, you can walk freely in Chang'an City without fear of anyone!"