Li Ji has a clear understanding of his own strength. Lao Guo is considered a third-rate ordinary person in this world. Li Ji was not as good as him at the beginning of the journey, but after becoming familiar with the operation of internal force, he could easily defeat Lao Guo. At this stage, Li Ji can barely be regarded as the peak of the third-rate. After obtaining the Liuhe Sword Manual, he believes that he will have a qualitative leap and enter the second-rate level. By then, it will be time for him to travel around the world with a sword.
There is no time in the mountains. Another two months have passed. In the afternoon of this day, Li Ji was thinking about swordsmanship alone in the courtyard. Suddenly, someone knocked on the gate of the courtyard. The loud voice of the hanger-on Huang Er rang out, "Brother Youjiao, Lord Xu wants to invite you. He said that there is something important to do and you should go to the town government as soon as possible..."
"What is it? Do you know?" Li Ji was a little impatient. He just came back from a business trip to Shuangcheng a few days ago. According to convention, he could rest for a few days. He just had some new insights into the Liuhe Sword, but was interrupted by this guy. "I don't know, but Xiao Mazi said that it seems that the Taoist priest from Shuangcheng has come..." Xiao Mazi is the nickname of the official Xiao Ziming. He is stingy and his hangers-on call him that in private.
"I know, you go." Li Ji returned to the bedroom, washed up, and thought while changing clothes that there was a story behind inviting the Taoist priest from Shuangcheng. Just a dozen days ago, a strange thing happened in Cixi, which has always been stable and peaceful. A monster inexplicably appeared in a manor outside the town of the richest man, Wang Dahu. It was probably that Wang Dahu's family went to the manor outside the town to stay for a while and enjoy the scenery. Something happened that night. A concubine who was doted on by Wang Dahu died in the mouth of the monster. In addition, a maid and two guards also died. Those who escaped back said that a monster appeared in the back garden of the manor and ate people.
Since someone was killed, and the person was a family member of Mr. Wang, the town could not help but take it seriously. Several town leaders discussed and judged that it might be a murder by an enemy, a roving bandit, or a so-called monster that had never been heard of. Because Li Ji, the town's roving thug, had gone to Shuangcheng on business and had not returned, Qiangfu Xu Jihai gathered a dozen brave ruffians to investigate. Unexpectedly, they left in high spirits and returned in embarrassment. Among the dozen or so strong men with some martial arts, three died and two were seriously injured. Fortunately, Qiangfu Xu Jihai was far away at the time and was able to come back alive. In this way, the situation was basically clear. Everyone was saying that in the ancient well in the back garden of the manor, there was a snake monster sawing, as thick as a bucket, and no one knew how long it was. It was cruel and violent, with a human face and green beard, a bloody mouth and steel teeth. Anyway, the more it was spread, the more terrifying it became.
Three days later, Li Ji returned from Shuangcheng and saw that the people in the town were in chaos and were spreading rumors about this matter. He was a person who didn't believe in evil. The materialistic education he had received in his previous life for nearly forty years was deeply rooted. How could he believe in such a vague and illusory story? It seemed that someone was just using a sleight of hand to scare people and cover up the truth.
Even if he didn't believe it, Li Ji didn't have a head full of blood to find out the truth. This was his principle of life. He would eat as much as he could and do as much as he could. Unless there was no other way, he would never do anything beyond his own strength and unpredictable things.
This was the root of Li Ji's survival in this strange world. This was a real world. He couldn't be like the online article, not having a brain and not controlling his curiosity. No matter how many lives he had, it would not be enough. Just like the people and things in Cixi Town, he was not without enemies, and there were many opponents who were malicious and secretly attacked, but he was still patient enough, one to accumulate his own strength, and the other to wait for an opportunity to kill with one blow and fly away.
So after arranging people to block the road to the manor, Li Ji was also happy to practice swordsmanship at home. The only thing that surprised him was that no matter whether it was the husband of Qiang, Xu Jihai, who always stood on the moral high ground, or the official Xiao Ziming who wished him bad luck, or the domineering Wang Dahu, they all had no objection to his indifferent attitude. In the past, as the patrolmen who were responsible for protecting the town and the people, they would have been ordered to fight to death. Maybe... they think this matter is far beyond my ability?
Is it because of the so-called Taoist? Li Ji thought in his heart... It seems that everyone in Cixi Town is full of confidence in the Taoist. They are waiting with confidence and preparing various reception matters, as if preparing for a grand festival... 'It seems that compared with the natives of this world, I still lack some kind of cultural and historical cognition.'
Uncertain in his heart, Li Ji hurried back to the town office, but was told that the husband of Qiang and others had rushed to the mansion of Wang Dahu in the town, so he went to the mansion of Wang Dahu in the west of the town. This old Taoist also seemed to enjoy life. In Cixi, Wang Dahu's house was undoubtedly the most spacious and luxurious. It was also the first time for Li Ji to come in. He had something on his mind and had no intention of appreciating the carved beams and painted pillars. He went straight to the small living room under the guidance of the servants.
Seven or eight people stood respectfully in the hall, including Xu Jihai, Xiao Ziming, Wang Dahu, and several village elders. Only a thin and dry old Taoist with white hair sat on the armchair, his eyes slightly closed, and he was sitting cross-legged in a trance.
Li Ji bowed, "I'm sorry, everyone. I just found out that the master is here in person. I hope it didn't delay our business?"
Several people looked at him with a mixture of friendliness and disdain. Xiao Ziming said in a veiled manner, "You are so proud of yourself, but you made the master wait so long, while you were practicing swords and sticks at home?"
Li Ji ignored him. The Taoist didn't move at all, nor did he open his eyes. Seeing this, Xu Jihai said hurriedly, "We have just arrived not long ago. The master has already made a decision on this matter. Why don't I explain it to you?"
"Thank you, master..." Li Ji saw that everyone was standing and didn't feel comfortable sitting down.
"After hearing about Cixi, Master Chongfa came from Shuangcheng immediately. He traveled more than 200 miles and arrived overnight. He is truly compassionate and a man of high moral character..." After a round of flattery, Xu Jihai got to the point. "Before entering the town, Master went to the haunted house to observe the aura and returned only after finding something. Master said that this kind of evil aura is at the time when the fetus is changing, and there is no time to lose. So he decided to go to the haunted house at noon tomorrow to perform a ritual. All of Master's instruments are mysterious and mysterious. We mortals have no way of getting them. Master has made his own preparations, but there is one thing. , in order to prevent the monster from escaping, we need four people with abundant blood and courage, each holding a Taoist item, to set the center of the formation... We have thought about it, and these four people need Youjiao to be the leader to be appropriate..." After saying that, his eyes seemed to inadvertently glance at Xiao Ziming beside him. Li Ji didn't understand that it must be the old man Xiao Ziming who took advantage of his absence to make trouble for him. Before he could answer, who knew that the heavy method on the chair spoke, "You are full of blood and courage, but..."
Li Ji was blocked back before he could say a word. It seemed that he couldn't avoid this mission. Until now, he was still half-believing and half-doubting the so-called monster. Looking at this Taoist, he looked more like a swindler, so he was not too worried. Anyway, there was a Taoist in the front, and there were three other people setting up the formation. Even if there was a powerful monster, with his skills, he would be much stronger than those escaped hooligans, so he would not have no chance of escape. As a patrol officer, he was supported by the people of Cixi. Now that he was in trouble, he had to take responsibility. So he did not refuse. "Master has given an order, how dare I disobey? However, there are three more people. Who are they?" Xu Jihai said, "There are only patrol officers in the town who can distinguish the brave and powerful. Why don't you recommend one or two, Sanlang?"