Inner Demons

Chapter 43: Heart-Executing

As soon as these words left his mouth, the Old Daoist quickly made a move to cover his mouth.

But he didn't actually act foolishly; he just leaned forward and then sat back down. But he still lowered his voice: "Brother Xin, oh dear... how can you speak such nonsense! What kind of person is that Prefectural Governor... He is the official leader of Weicheng! Even in the Great Qing Dynasty, how many fifth-rank officials are there! Brother Xin, please don't mention such words again in the future... If Prefect Li suffers any misfortune, putting everything else aside, Brother Xin, you also wouldn't want to..."

"I don't want to be noticed." Li Yunxin poured the Old Daoist a cup of wine, smiling slightly and shaking his head. "But if this matter continues to develop, I'll be unhappy."

"The best outcome is for us both to move out of this residence and find another place to live. If that happens, my thoughts won't be clear. I don't bully people, but I also don't want to be bullied. I'm standing here perfectly fine, and you come over and kick me – what kind of thing is that?"

"A worse outcome is not only losing the residence, but we'll also end up in jail. By then... it'll be hard for me not to reveal my identity. I've lived this long, and only slept on a straw mat for a few days in Qinghe. Let me tell you, I'm picky about my bed, and I have morning grumpiness. Once I don't sleep well, I feel like messing with people."

"So you see, the only choice is to kill him. He's a fifth-rank Prefectural Governor of the Great Qing Dynasty, very impressive. Who would imagine that I, a small Daoist boy, killed him – or that you, an old man, have this capability? There's a Grand Yin Spirit Formation set up by Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect masters outside his house!"

"He has enemies, and powerful ones at that. Once he dies, anyone who isn't a brain-dead idiot will assume his enemies did it, and it has nothing to do with me. By then, after dealing with those few from the Qiao Family, they won't cause any more trouble, and no one will remember what happened with Hongfu Escort Agency. Your old friend, if he's still lucky enough to be alive then, will also be freed. Why are you staring blankly? Drink the wine, and think carefully, am I making sense?"

The Old Daoist didn't know who "Li Jufu" was. But after thinking about it, although he felt that Li Yunxin's analysis was logical, he still felt that something was wrong.

After drinking the wine and smacking his lips, he realized the problem.

"But Brother Xin, how... um... him?" The Old Daoist still didn't speak the rebellious words aloud. "Brother Xin also said that he's protected by that grand formation, and you didn't even dare to use any methods tonight, fearing being discovered. If you use ordinary methods... there will always be traces. The coroner and yamen runners aren't useless, they'll eventually trace it back to us. And there are also people from Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect... well, we don't know what magical powers or methods they have..."Li Yunxin drained the last drops of wine from the pot, drank it in one gulp, and stood up.

Perhaps it was an illusion, but Old Daoist Liu felt a strange light emanating from his face—even... somewhat demonic.

"I don't know what magical powers or methods those people have," Li Yunxin seemed to be on the verge of laughter, thinking of something. His eyes seemed to be brimming with a kind of emotion full of malice, delight, and yet mixed with a destructive impulse. "But they don't know what magical powers or methods I have either. I'll tell you. My magical power... is called Heart-Executing."

Old Daoist Liu didn't quite understand what he was saying.

But he understood one thing. He had once thought he had more or less understood the temperament and habits of this young master. But now he knew... what he understood was perhaps not even a fraction of it.

This young man... was not as gentle and easygoing as he appeared.

Perhaps deep down...

Old Daoist Liu shivered slightly, forcing himself not to look at Li Yunxin at that moment.

Perhaps deep down... a terrifying demon was hidden.

...

...

When the third watch drum echoed, a night breeze began to blow.

Li Yunxin put down his pen and, by moonlight, looked at a piece of paper on the table.

On it was some information he had organized – about Prefect Li.

Old Daoist Liu didn't know how he could kill Prefect Li, who was protected by the masters of Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect, without leaving any trace. But for him, this matter unlocked some sealed memories from his previous life.

Killing people... killing people, indeed.

Li Yunxin laughed in the darkness.

He used to love doing this the most.

He learned from the young servant A'Ze that Prefect Li was forty-six this year.

Slightly overweight, suspected of having high blood pressure and fatty liver. His family had been officials for generations, and his ancestors included a second-rank official. But for four generations counting back from his father, almost none had died peacefully – three ancestors died of "fright," and his father lived longer, dying of "palpitations and asthma."

Heart disease. Probably a family inheritance.

A'Ze said Prefect Li's appearance and demeanor were very much like his father's. So that ruled out... the possibility of him being named Wang.

Recently, he suddenly stopped liking fish. He had to have chicken without the skin.

A few days ago, when the funds for the renovation of the Three Rivers' Mouth Dragon King Temple were requested, he first severely reprimanded the person, and then allocated the funds – an amount even greater than what was requested.

And one more thing.

Five or six days ago, there was a heavy rainstorm. That night, lightning and thunder struck, and the lightning struck down the main hall of the Prefectural Office. Then, according to A'Ze, "the master no longer liked his usual snacks. Only today his appetite improved slightly, and he ordered me to buy sour soup."

Li Yunxin stared at the paper for a while, then got up and took down the sword Bai Yunxin had given him from the west wall. The sword gleamed softly in the moonlight, and he wielded it a few times.

"I hate this feeling the most," he murmured.

...

...

In the next two or three days, fewer people came to the temple. Li Yunxin walked around the front courtyard as usual, but he wasn't just focusing on breaking his seal anymore.

Firstly, the pain brought by such meager (vows/spiritual power) was not enough for him to "concentrate" on dealing with it. Secondly, he was trying to inquire about some things. But people seemed to start keeping their distance from him and Old Daoist Liu. He had keen ears and eyes, and occasionally, after passersby saw them and avoided them with strange expressions, he would hear words like "...colluding with bandits..." and "I heard they'll be arrested soon."

Such things greatly surprised him.

In his impression, the government in such a feudal society should be extremely wicked – saying "arrest them," they would just throw chains over their heads, tie them up, and send them to prison.

But he actually heard things like "...they say that old servant hasn't confessed yet, the evidence is not conclusive" from the idle chatter of passersby. He was dumbfounded at the time – "evidence is not conclusive"??

In such an era...

Talking about "conclusive evidence"??

But then thinking back to the Qinghe County incident... it already seemed a bit strange. In such a remote county, far from the emperor, Captain Xing, the local strongman, actually made a big show of tricking him into escaping prison... only then to kill him!

He was also paying attention to something...

"Conclusive evidence," perhaps?