Seeing Li Yan, his eyes were obviously filled with vigilance.

Mystical Sect commander Murong Yan rose with a radiant smile as Li Yan entered, her movements graceful and warm: "Young Hero Li, a youthful hero whose name shakes the Capital! This time heading south, you've done marvels in Yangzhou, defeating demons and evils—who in Jinling City doesn't know of you? I've admired you for a long time, and it's truly an honor for Qiyuan Building to have you here today."

"Please, take the seat of honor and try these freshly served hot dishes, all with the flavors of Jinling..."

Her words carried a blend of respect and composure.

However, Li Yan's feet didn't move an inch, his gaze as sharp as a blade, bypassing Murong Yan and landing directly on the face of the old Daoist in a coarse robe who had a worn gourd at his waist.

"Zhou Yinyao?"

Li Yan said coldly, "Daring to reveal yourself before me, what do you mean by this?"

As he spoke, he had already reached for the Hook Paper.

Seeing the expression on the opposite side, they clearly knew his identity. Instead of passively following their lead, it was better to directly inquire and clarify the reason.

The sudden questioning instantly pierced through the harmonious atmosphere that Murong Yan had deliberately created.

"Presumptuous!"

The demon huntress, Wang Lu, had already stood behind the old Daoist, her eyebrows raised in anger like an enraged female leopard, clutching at the Willow Leaf Flying Knife at her waist.

"How dare you be disrespectful to my master!"

The small secret chamber's air suddenly became as taut as a drawn bowstring.

Murong Yan's face showed a trace of panic, hastily stepping between the two, hands gently pressing the air, her voice elevated and urgent:

"Young Hero Li, please calm down! Wang Lu, don't act rashly! It's all a misunderstanding!"

She turned to Li Yan, speaking quickly, her gaze sincerely pleading: "Young Hero Li, allow me to explain! Though Master Zhou is a yin criminal of the Earth Immortal kind, he's by no means a villain who harms the human world!"

"He's been quietly cultivating in Jiangnan for centuries, maintaining close ties with Maoshan, the Tiger Gate Order, Lushan, and others."

"What's more, he bears a compassionate heart, secretly contacting fellow Daoists to secretly form a demon hunter group in various parts of Jiangnan, dedicated to eradicating those pesky demons and wicked spirit monsters that even the Mystic Sect can't reach, ensuring peace for the people!"

"Wang Lu is a direct disciple of Master Zhou, and also a standout among Jiangnan's demon hunters!"

She took a deep breath, calming her racing heart: "For this sweeping catastrophe in Jiangnan, Master Zhou braved the risks to come to Jinling."

"He shares a deep friendship with me and knows well about your ability as a 'living Yin messenger.' It's crucial to this situation's outcome. He thus implored me to mediate, hoping that at this crucial moment, Young Hero could prioritize the greater good."

Listening to Murong Yan's hurried explanation, the frost on Li Yan's face not only didn't melt but even deepened into a more profound sneer.

His gaze, sharp and piercing, remained locked on the speechless and stoic-faced Zhou Yinyao, as he slowly sat down, his fingers gently tapping the smooth redwood table, producing a dull and oppressive thumping sound.

"Oh? A compassionate heart... protecting the people?"

Li Yan's tone carried a trace of mockery, "What a noble Master Zhou! Then I'd like to ask, if you're so noble and concerned for the people, why did you leak the location of the Yangzhou Tripod to Lai Yin, that demon woman?!"

These words were like a thunderclap!

Wang Lu's eyes instantly widened in fury, almost ready to explode, but Murong Yan firmly held her back.

Zhou Yinyao, whose eyes had been half-closed, finally opened them. In those aged eyes, there was no panic, only a trace of heaviness.

His withered fingers on his lap gently stroked the old gourd engraved with the word "boil."

"...Alas."

With a long sigh, the Daoist spoke: "What Daoist Li accuses are all true; I have no words to defend myself. Leaking the secret of the Yangzhou Tripod is indeed an unforgivable mistake of my life."

He paused slightly, a deep sense of helplessness in his gaze, "That Lai Yin... her methods are extremely sinister and venomous. She found out that I still have a few disciples left in Jiangnan, laid an ambush, and captured them all to threaten me."

"This matter is also my fault, harboring the illusion that the Nine Tripods' sealing place was strictly guarded, thinking that even if I revealed its location, it might not come to pass, especially since the Yangzhou Tripod would leave in less than two days."

"However, when I was about to rescue my disciple, I found that the demon woman had already succeeded, and the situation spiraled out of control. I bear responsibility for this; a hundred deaths cannot redeem my mistake."

After speaking, he slowly rose, bowed slightly to Li Yan, and said calmly, "It is too late to regret now. I came to Jinling, risking exposure, precisely to make amends for this mistake. Even with my remaining old life, I must find a way to break the impasse."

His posture was humble, yet his gaze was open and resolute.

Li Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. Although he did not speak, the coldness around him had dissipated a lot.

Seeing the atmosphere ease a bit, Murong Yan immediately put on a smile and greeted, "Come, come, Young Hero Li, try the seasonal delicacies of Jinling; the Huai white fish is especially delicious."

Then he changed the topic, saying, "There is also good news. I know about Young Master Lin's connection with you, rest assured, he is not in mortal danger right now."

Li Yan's heart was moved, and he straightforwardly asked, "Elder Murong has been considerate. However, Li is more eager to know who is stirring up trouble behind the scenes, wanting to destroy the Lin Family? And who killed Tian Qianhu?"

Murong Yan put down his wine cup, sighed, and said solemnly, "This matter is no secret in Jiangnan. On the ground of Jinling, the true powers at the helm now are the other two massive entities of Jiangnan—Gusu's Lu Family and Qiantang's Xie Family."

"These two are aristocratic clans with a legacy spanning hundreds of years, with their disciples and old retainers spread throughout the court. Moreover, they maintain close relationships with several Magic Veins in Jiangnan; many outstanding talents from these veins are the offspring and disciples of these two families."

He paused, then continued to explain, "They suppressed the Lin Family for two reasons: First, Lin Family produced a traitor like Lin Yaozu who colluded with pirates, causing heavy losses to the Jiangnan Navy, entangled widely. As local elites, Lu and Xie families suffered substantial losses and naturally wanted Lin Family to pay; Second, they seized the opportunity to completely overthrow the Lin Family, a rival in trade routes, and annex its assets to strengthen themselves."

"And now, the military and political power within and outside Jinling City is largely controlled by Lu, Xie families and their affiliated Magic Veins."

"However..."

Murong Yan switched his tone, emphasizing, "According to the news I've gathered, Tian Qianhu's death was absolutely not the doing of Lu or Xie families. They only wished to 'by the rules' make the Lin Family plead guilty and confess."

"They won't and don't dare to commit foolish acts like murder and silencing witnesses, or intercepting imperial envoy guards on the way. Besides, Young Master Lin also couldn't reveal any clues about Tian Qianhu's murder, only tirelessly tried to protect the innocent members of Lin Family which resulted in him being labeled as 'roaring in court and resisting investigation,' and thrown into the depths of the death prison."

At this time, Zhou Yinyao, who had been silent all along, interjected, "This old Daoist has been in this Jiangnan region for hundreds of years and maintains some incense connections with those Magic Veins."

"If Mr. Li trusts me, this old Daoist can mediate and use the influence of these Magic Veins to put pressure on Lu and Xie families. It shouldn't be difficult to quickly release Young Master Lin from prison."

It seems these are the terms...

Upon hearing that Lin Fatty and others could be saved, Li Yan's tense expression relaxed a bit. After pondering for a moment, he directly faced Zhou Yinyao, "Alright, as long as Mr. Lin and his people can safely leave prison, I can turn a blind eye to this matter."

"But you mentioned wanting to 'make amends,' what exactly is your plan?"

Zhou Yinyao saw Li Yan's agreement, and he too felt relieved. Then he adopted a solemn demeanor, lowered his voice, and said, "This old Daoist has been contemplating deeply, intending to perform an extraordinary method—organize a 'Dragon Sacrifice Ceremony' in Jinling City with the support of various Taoist sects from Jiangnan!"

"Dragon Sacrifice Technique?"

Li Yan became interested upon hearing this.

He had heard of this Mystic Sect ritual before.

Since its inception in the Qin Han dynasty and continuation through Tang and Song, it has primarily been used to worship heaven, earth, and water spirits, requiring the offering of bamboo slips with inscriptions of wishes along with golden dragon, Jade Bi, and other artifacts, either hidden in caves, buried in soil, or submerged, to correspond to Heavenly, Earth, and Water Officials.

"Indeed."

Zhou Yinyao spoke solemnly, "This method has a long history; in the past, sea dragons wreaked havoc, earth quakes occurred, West Lake waters reversed, and King Qian repeatedly performed dragon sacrifices to avoid great disasters."

"We only need to use the dragon sacrifice technique to worship heaven and earth, borrowing the power of mountain and river dragon veins to lock earth energy, which would stabilize the Earth Vein, and the court need not worry, breaking the Tai Lake demon chaos!"

"Certainly a method."

Li Yan's eyes shone with interest, "This method isn't simple, is it?"

Zhou Yinyao truthfully replied, "Indeed, pure dragon sacrifice, even in Cave Heaven Blessed Land, is somewhat difficult, but with the assistance of a National Guardian Divine Artifact, it can be achieved. The item is already on its way to Jinling, and will arrive soon!"

So that's the case...

Li Yan immediately understood; no wonder the Jinling government was not anxious, they already had a solution, it seems other Magic Veins have also joined in.

"What Divine Artifact is it?" he inquired.

Zhou Yinyao replied, "During the Tang Xuanzong era, constructed under the direct supervision of the Grandmaster of Taoist sect 'Ye Fashan' to suppress national fortune and offer evil exorcism and prayers—the Da Li Bronze Bell!"