Lin Ji's face was extremely unsightly.
The cave was not far from the riverbank. Although this pig-dragon was only at the third realm, with its huge body, there should have been some commotion when it moved.
But if Lin Ji hadn't seen the scene by the river with his own eyes, he wouldn't have known that the pig-dragon had been slain by someone!
From this, it was evident that the man in black robes before him was definitely a master among masters.
Killing a third realm dragon species was not difficult, but doing so silently was the challenge.
Lin Ji stared at the dead pig-dragon's body for a long time, then assessed the man in black robes before nodding slightly.
"Well done. I am Lin Ji, the constable of Qingyang County. May I know who you are?"
"It seems you are a lapdog of the Celestial Surveillance Bureau," the man in black robes replied without answering Lin Ji's question, his tone carrying a hint of frustration and regret.
Beside him, Zhong Xiaoyan wanted to retort but was stopped by Lin Ji's glare.
Zhong Xiaoyan wasn't foolish. She stood behind Lin Ji indignantly.
Only then did Lin Ji arch his hand towards the man in black robes.
"It seems you have a grudge against our Celestial Surveillance Bureau?"
"A grudge? Such a simple word cannot explain it clearly."
The man in black robes' tone became more mocking, and he chuckled, "Rather than calling it a grudge, it's more appropriate to describe it as a life-and-death struggle, an irreconcilable enmity."
Upon hearing this, Lin Ji's hand was already on the hilt of his sword, and his spiritual energy began to circulate.
"Don't bother. Consider yourselves lucky. It's a critical moment now, and I don't want those old immortals from the Celestial Surveillance Bureau to have a reason to come after me."
After a pause, the smile in the man in black robes' tone disappeared.
"So, while I'm still in a good mood, leave."
After saying this, the man in black robes waved his hand towards Lin Ji and Zhong Xiaoyan as if dismissing them like trash.
Without a word, Lin Ji grabbed Zhong Xiaoyan's hand and walked away, picking up pace as they went.
After they had gone a distance, Zhong Xiaoyan finally spoke up.
"Hey, maybe that guy was just bluffing? Do we really need to be so afraid?"
"What if he wasn't? You can afford to gamble, but I can't." Lin Ji responded coldly. Anyone who could silently kill a pig-dragon was not someone he could currently match.
"Right, it seems to be the case," Zhong Xiaoyan realized.
This was not Xiangzhou where the Zhong family was located; this was Liangzhou. Moreover, the man didn't even care about the Celestial Surveillance Bureau, let alone the Zhong family.
Thinking of this, Zhong Xiaoyan dared not be stubborn anymore. She obediently let Lin Ji lead her, moving further away from the Liang River.
Passing by the cave, they called for Ling'er who was waiting inside.
After a journey, nearing noon, the three finally returned to Qingyang County.
Inside the county town.
The continuous heavy rain had dampened the usual hustle and bustle of Qingyang County.
Today, the sky had just cleared up, and the people who had been cooped up at home for a few days were out on the streets, seemingly venting their frustrations in their own ways.
This made Qingyang County appear livelier than usual.
Upon entering the town, Lin Ji sent Zhong Xiaoyan and Ling'er away, instructing them to stay at home and recuperate.
He then hurried to the county yamen and found Guo Yi.
"What's the rush?" Guo Yi asked curiously.
Lin Ji usually had a calm demeanor, rarely showing such impatience.
"I need you to write and send a message to Liangcheng as soon as possible," Lin Ji said.
Seeing Lin Ji's urgency, Guo Yi didn't delay and quickly prepared pen and paper.
"The river god of Liang River transformed into a demon beast pig-dragon. I don't know if it's the same demon causing trouble in Liangzhou."
"The pig-dragon is dead, killed by a mysterious man in black robes."
"The man in black robes is of unknown strength, has a grudge against the Celestial Surveillance Bureau, and the specific reasons are unclear."
After briefly explaining the situation, Lin Ji recounted the detailed process to Guo Yi.
After completing these necessary tasks, Lin Ji left the yamen without stopping and returned home.
Closing the door tightly, he didn't immediately start cultivating.
On the way back, his mind was heavy with thoughts.
Recent events made him vaguely feel that something was amiss.
Lin Ji contemplated the recent occurrences.
Since he coincidentally met the Master of the Way of the Traveling Fool in Qingyang County and received the Soul-Subduing Demon Pestle, troubles had been arising one after another.
Reporting to the capital, encountering Miss Luo who turned into a ghost, slaying the ghost general, which led to the incident of the Ghost King besieging Liangcheng.
In the capital, witnessing the wife of a third-rank official being secretly attacked and turned into a demon.
"If these two incidents were orchestrated by someone, and I was inadvertently involved, the consecutive cases after returning to Qingyang County might not be the same."
Lin Ji carefully analyzed.
The Qingqiu Fox Clan causing trouble in the county, not to mention the old fox Flower Granny, even the little fox named Fei'er was extraordinary.
The disciple of Daoist Ti Yun, that demonic practitioner.
Feng Yu of the Qingcheng Sect, possessed by the demon in the Demon-Sealing Tower.
And now, the pig-dragon pretending to be the river god, slain by the man in black robes.
"There may be someone scheming behind the scenes, but it's unlikely that everything is orchestrated. And similar cases, I haven't encountered any during my years in Qingyang County!"
"Could it all be attributed to the chaos of the world? But the root of the world's troubles lies in the countless evil spirits that escaped from the Demon-Sealing Tower. It can't all be blamed on the tower."
Thinking this, Lin Ji's gaze shifted beyond the window to the distant sky.
The sky after the rain was clear and refreshing to look at, but Lin Ji didn't feel the same.
He took out the Book of Cause and Effect, caressing it in his hand.
Although it looked like an ancient book, it was indestructible, impervious to water and fire.
He had tried leaving the book at home and going out, but whenever he wasn't paying attention, it would always reappear by his side, impossible to get rid of.
And Lin Ji often took out the book in front of others.
Those who saw the Book of Cause and Effect could clearly see it, yet they never asked or paid any attention, seemingly deliberately ignoring it.
"Are you playing tricks on me?" Lin Ji muttered to the book.
There was no response.
But Lin Ji became more convinced of this.
He looked up at the sky again, this time with a pensive expression on his face.
The gifts of the heavens were not easily obtained.
"So, are you displeased with my cultivation level, finding me inadequate to handle your tasks, hence creating various incidents to force me to cultivate?"
"You're cunning. I am indeed afraid. If I don't work harder in cultivation, I might be killed by these powerful demons sooner or later."
With that thought, Lin Ji took a deep breath, cleared his mind, and quickly entered a state of cultivation.
A new week, seeking support!