The real young master is also the real devil

investigation

There is no time in the mountains. Three months after Shi Zhilin went to Tianshan, it was a matter of course and he succeeded in forming alchemy. He received gifts from Jiuqing and Zhifan again, and at the same time got a chance to go down the mountain.

Daoist Yugan: "You shouldn't have come to investigate this matter, but Zhifan and Jiuqing are both retreating now, and the other disciples who can go down the mountain have their own important matters. It's your turn, but your two cultivation bases are the most suitable... ..." He paused, coughed, and said to Shi Zhilin: "Don't underestimate this matter, Zhongzhou City has always had few evil spirits, and before the Dao Discussion Ceremony, although no one was killed, it is not a common thing."

Shi Zhilin solemnly assured: "Master, don't worry, with me here, I will definitely find out the truth."

Daoist Yugan lingered on him for a while, then turned to look at Bai Xuzhi: "Xuzhi, I leave this matter to you. Zhilin is young, and he may act impulsively. You have to decide on major matters."

Bai Xuzhi nodded: "Master, don't worry."

Daoist Yugan touched his beard, and after getting his assurance, he seemed really relieved.

When Shi Zhilin saw him, he didn't mind at all.He had been suffocated on the mountain for the past three months. He wanted to ask Senior Brother Jiuqing or Senior Sister Zhifan to take him down the mountain, but Jiuqing went into seclusion not long after he went up the mountain. Zhifan had friends all over Tianshan, and there was no one at first , When she found it, she also suddenly had an epiphany and retreated.

Even if he failed to skip class, Bai Xuzhi seemed to have put some trace-finding powder on him, as long as he skipped class, no matter where he was, Bai Xuzhi would find him and take him to the road. Yifeng's class was simply miserable.

So now as long as he can go down the mountain, let him listen to anyone.

Daoist Yugan gave another last word of advice: "Zhilin, follow your elder brother's orders in everything, and don't act on your own."

After explaining everything, Daoist Yugan handed over the jade token for going down the mountain to the two of them, saying: "Zhiwei from Dao Yifeng will also go with you, she is already waiting at Heyuntai, go quickly."

When Shi Zhilin and Bai Xuzhi arrived at Heyun Terrace, they saw a slender woman in white clothes waiting, and when they saw them coming, he slightly nodded and said, "Is it Junior Brother Shi and Junior Brother Bai?"

Shi Zhilin: "I met Senior Sister Zhiwei."

Zhiwei nodded, his gaze stayed on Bai Xuzhi for two more seconds, then he turned his head and said, "Go straight down the mountain, are you going to sit on the crane or Tengyun?"

The name of Crane Cloud Terrace comes from this. Tianshan Mountain is suspended in the air and surrounded by enchantment. Ordinary monks who want to visit Tianshan Mountain cannot go up by themselves with their swords. They can only use the cranes and Tengyun of Tianshan Mountain. These two must also have a special jade tablet made by Tianshan to drive them.

Before Shi Zhilin went up the mountain, he sat on the cloud, which was completely different from the soft one he imagined, and was as hard and cold as Yujian. He said decisively: "I want the crane."

Zhiwei looked at Bai Xuzhi: "Where is Junior Brother Bai?"

Bai Xuzhi: "Tengyun."

Zhiwei raised the jade tablet in his hand, put his index finger and middle finger together, touched it, and a crane and two white clouds flew over.

When each batch of newly recruited disciples went up the mountain, the senior brothers and sisters would summon the cranes and auspicious clouds to send them up, so Zhiwei thought that the two of them were going down the mountain for the first time, and perhaps didn't know what to do.

She stepped on the white cloud and explained: "Just inject your spiritual consciousness into the jade tablet and think what you want, and the crane and auspicious cloud will come flying by themselves, it's the same up and down the mountain."

Shi Zhilin: "Thank you, Senior Sister, for letting me know."

Zhiwei nodded: "Let's go."

……

The people in Zhongzhou City are used to seeing monks coming down from the Tianshan Mountains on cranes or flying clouds and fog, and seeing another crane and two auspicious clouds descending. One stretched his head to look at the Dengxiang Pavilion where the Tianshan disciples descended.

Dengxian Pavilion is a small building built by the lake. It had no name at first, but the scene of flying clouds and cranes when the disciples of Tianshan went up and down the mountain was too in line with ordinary people's imagination of immortals, so they named this five-story building next to the water. Later, more people called it, and Tianshan disciples also called it that way.

As soon as Shi Zhilin jumped off the flying crane, a little boy ran over quickly and bowed: "I've seen my brothers and sisters. This time I went down the mountain to solve the case of frequent demons in the city?"

Zhiwei nodded: "Yes."

The boy breathed a sigh of relief, served them tea affectionately, and complained: "Brothers and sisters, you are here, if you don't come, the first floor will be filled with the people of Zhongzhou City. It is said that the fox monster killed a lot of people, and now people are panicking, even the magistrate of Zhongzhou Prefecture came here in person, just waiting for the brothers and sisters to arrest that monster!"

Zhiwei frowned: "Didn't it mean that no one was killed?"

The boy nodded: "No human life was found until yesterday, but this morning, a passing caravan found three corpses while resting in a ruined temple outside the city. These three corpses were ordinary people in the city. They have all been gouged out of their hearts, and it has always been the evil fox, and the senior brothers and sisters must avenge these innocent people who died tragically!"

Shi Zhilin raised his eyebrows, "It hasn't been investigated yet, how do you know it was done by the fox demon?"

Boy: "The story books say that only fox demons can eat people's hearts, so it must be the fox demons that do it!"

Shi Zhilin: "Then there is no truth in the story book, you..."

Before Shi Zhilin finished speaking, Bai Xuzhi interrupted lightly: "Where is the body now?"

The boy rubbed his head: "It should still be in the yamen."

Bai Xuzhi: "Let's go."

Shi Zhilin followed behind him, and when he passed the little boy, he rubbed the boy's head: "The storybook also said that the fox demon likes to eat a little boy like you the most, so you still secretly read the storybook. Cultivate, be careful that it will be your turn next."

The boy covered his mouth in fright.

Shi Zhilin: "Do you believe it?"

The boy nodded repeatedly.

Shi Zhilin laughed: "Senior brother, I lied to you. Everything in the scriptures is false. Fox demons don't eat hearts at all, and they don't poach hearts, and they don't know how to eat little boys."

Boy: "Really?"

Shi Zhilin: "Of course it's true, you believe all the scribbles in the storybook, why don't you believe senior brother?"

Boy: "I believe in brother."

Shi Zhilin patted his little head: "So before you find out, don't follow others and jump to conclusions, you know?"

The boy nodded: "Understood, brother."

Shi Zhilin satisfactorily handed him the last pack of pine nut candies, and as soon as he got up, he heard Bai Xuzhi who had already gone downstairs call him softly: "Shi Zhilin."

"Hey!" Shi Zhilin waved his hand at the boy, and quickly went downstairs: "Little Bailong, walk slowly, wait for me to get down!"

As soon as the three of them left Dengxian Pavilion, they immediately went to the government office.

The little official at the gate recognized the identities of the three of them from the unique Tsing Yi fox fur coats of Tianshan disciples at a glance, stepped forward and saluted: "Are you a few immortal masters from Tianshan?"

Zhiwei nodded and went straight to the point: "Are the three corpses in the ruined temple still there?"

Little official: "I am here, I have been placed in the execution room after the test, and the younger one brought a few immortal masters over."

The little official led the way and said: "Master Zhifu is also in the execution room at the moment, just waiting for the masters of immortal masters to come."

Shi Zhilin raised his eyebrows: "Right now, it is supposed to be the time to deal with the case. Do you prefects have nothing else to do?"

The little official said with a frowning face: "My lord has finished, at the foot of Tianshan Mountain, how can there be any major incidents, left and right are just a matter between neighbors, and we deal with it all because of the parents' faults, and now we are dead." People are the top priority of the government office, so don't you just wait for a few adults?"

Shi Zhilin glanced at the other subordinate officials and scribes who occasionally passed by in the mansion, but he was still in good spirits.

The petty official led the three of them all the way to the main hall of the punishment room, and sent the three of them in after passing a notification at the door.

The punishment room is divided into two parts. Outside there is a table and case file for the government to write the case and take notes, and the inside is the prison cell.

As soon as the door of the cell was opened, a gloomy aura rushed towards them, but the three of them did not change their faces, and greeted the coming prefect directly.

Zhiwei's character is straightforward, and he said, "Can you let us see the bodies of those three people?"

All three of them thought that the magistrate would not refuse, but unexpectedly he said: "Those three corpses are full of scars, which is really an obstacle to viewing. If you want to know anything, you can ask the teacher, or you can read the recorded documents."

Zhiwei: "We're not afraid of getting in the way, you just take us there."

The magistrate smiled and said: "The three masters have seen the world, but our government also has the rules of the government, it is really..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was very obvious.

Zhiwei obviously didn't expect that the prefect of Zhongzhou City would not cooperate with their investigation, and suddenly had nothing to say.

At this time, Shi Zhilin said suddenly: "But something happened to the corpse?"

The magistrate was taken aback for a moment, and when he turned around to see a handsome boy of fifteen or sixteen years old, he let go of his thoughts: "The body has been sent to the government office, so there will be no problem, but although Zhongzhou City is at the foot of Tianshan Mountain, it is still under the jurisdiction of the Son of Heaven. Even if you cooperate with the investigation, you need documents."

Shi Zhilin: "How do I remember that within the Kyushu, if there are immortal families in various prefectures and counties under the protection of the immortal family, the local government and the noble family's immortal family will jointly govern the local area?"

Facing his questioning, the magistrate smiled unhurriedly: "If it is a family like Jinling Shi's, Jingzhou Zhou's, or a Buddhist sect like Wuxiang Temple, it is natural to cooperate closely with the local government. This is not the case in Tianshan, if Tianshan does not interfere in mortal affairs, it will naturally not participate in joint jurisdiction."

In fact, the magistrate is not wrong. If Tianshan wants to remain neutral in the family of Xianmen, it cannot form an alliance with any force, even the imperial court.

It's just... Shi Zhilin said: "Why do I remember that the imperial court issued a special order that if there is a case in Zhongzhou City that the government cannot solve, the government must cooperate with Tianshan?"

The so-called "unsolvable" naturally refers to cases committed by non-human beings such as demons.

The magistrate was slightly surprised. Not many people knew about this special order. It can be said that apart from the Zhongzhou city government, few officials in the imperial city knew about it. Because of the special status of Tianshan Mountain, the imperial court did not make much fanfare when it issued the special order. It is also for the people of Zhongzhou City and Tianshan Mountain.

It is precisely because of this that most of the Tianshan disciples needed the cooperation of the Zhongzhou city government before, and most of the government officials did not cooperate. Today, the magistrate dared to use this point to send Shizhilin to them because he was convinced that few people in Tianshan knew about this special order. .

Unexpectedly, among the three disciples who came down from Tianshan Mountain, one of them happened to know about this special order.

But the magistrate didn't panic, he smiled and said: "That's true, but today's autopsy found that the wounds on the three people's bodies were all man-made, and after the investigation and visits, they were also classified as vendettas, so I don't bother a few adults."

Zhiwei didn't expect that there would be such a special order, but thinking that the magistrate tried her best to conceal it, there must be something wrong, she said: "If it is a demon or evil being killed by someone, we will know at a glance."

The magistrate apologized: "It's really against the rules, please don't embarrass me."

Shi Zhilin: "It's just to take a look at the corpse, where are there so many rules, so why bother, unless there is something strange about the corpse." He took out a jade tablet from the storage ring: "Let us in. "

The magistrate glanced at it casually, then suddenly changed his face, no longer the previous carelessness, bowed respectfully and deeply: "I have seen His Royal Highness, but I didn't recognize His Highness, I really deserve death."

Shi Zhilin was impatient to listen to these exaggerated words, so he took the token: "Don't talk so much, take us to see those three corpses."

Who knew that the magistrate hesitated and said: "Your Highness, can I take a step to speak?"

Shi Zhilin followed him for a distance, "Let's talk."

The magistrate: "Here, I heard that people who practice Taoism can see thousands of miles away and hear..."

Shi Zhilin raised his hand and put an avoidance note, and said impatiently, "Now we can talk."

Only then did the magistrate feel relieved: "Your Highness, what I said just now is true, those three people did not die from evil spirits, but from man-made disasters."

Shi Zhilin asked: "Then why are you hiding it?"

The magistrate seemed to be helpless, and after a while he said: "...these people have special identities and are not suitable for in-depth investigation, especially not suitable for Tianshan disciples to investigate. Your Highness, you trust me, so don't investigate."

Shi Zhilin raised his eyebrows: "What? Those people are so special that I can't even check them out?"

The magistrate hurriedly said: "Of course not! It's just that your identity... is also sensitive."

After saying this, Shi Zhilin frowned: "Speak up if you have something to say, don't hang around with me here."

"It's really..." Under Shi Zhilin's gaze, the magistrate could only stop trying to persuade him, and had no choice but to say: "These three people were all killed by direct disciples of the Yun family. To be deceitful, the direct disciples of the Yun family came to participate in the Tianshan Dao Discussion Conference held every three years, but before the time for the Dao Discussion Conference, they found a place to stay in Zhongzhou City. There was not much distance in Kangli, so for some reason, he fell in love with an oiran lady in South Lane. The lady had a good friend and was ready to redeem herself, so she didn't want to receive any more guests, but those monks didn't want to, so they got up Dispute..."

Shi Zhilin frowned: "Then the common people say that evil spirits are at work, what happened when they saw the fox demon?"

The magistrate shook his head: "One of the direct disciples of the Yun family raised a fox-shaped spirit beast as a spiritual pet. A few days ago, the spiritual pet was specially sent to scare the oiran into dating her. When the neighbors saw the movement, they naturally fell in love with her." I thought it was the work of a demon."

Shi Zhilin: "Then how do you know it was done by the disciples of the Yun family?"

The prefect bowed his head: "Oiran has reported the case."

Shi Zhilin: "How did you deal with that oiran?"

The magistrate lowered his voice: "I asked the oiran to go back. In this case, even if the oiran said that she was a witness, she could not find physical evidence. The Dao Discussion Conference is coming soon. I think it is still..."

Shi Zhilin interrupted him, his tone difficult to distinguish: "So it wasn't the evil spirit's doing, but the cultivator's killing. Not only did you hide the important part, half-hidden and half-revealing it to us, but you also plan to expose this murder case directly? "

The magistrate froze, when he first met the three of them, his eyes only stayed on the young man for a moment, and then turned his eyes to the other two, because he was too young, and he had a lovable face, which made people get close At the same time, he naturally let go of his defenses.

Later, when he learned that Shi Zhilin was the most beloved son of the Holy One, he was more shocked than terrified. The token of the son and the jade pendant on the waist of the holy mountain were made of a single piece of jade. There are only two of them in the world. He wouldn't mistake him, he wouldn't doubt Shi Zhilin's identity, but he didn't think how shrewd this little prince who hadn't experienced much in the world could be.

However, at this moment, he knew that he was wrong.

To be able to be praised by the upright contemporary Confucianism as "extraordinarily intelligent", to be able to get the blue eyes of the current sage, and even before the eight-year-old did not detect the talent for cultivation, he had the idea of ​​​​passing on the throne and him, how could this prince really be like this? The surface is generally innocent and harmless.

If it is said that his smiling eyes are bright with a smile in spring, but when he restrains his smile, it is like spring cold, unpredictable and difficult to distinguish.

It's a pity...

Thinking that Shi Zhilin was able to cultivate and was destined not to inherit the grand ceremony, the magistrate sighed in his heart, and when he spoke again, his tone was more respectful than before, and he said sincerely: "Your Highness, please listen to me, even if this case needs to be investigated, you will It is inconvenient to come forward, I see that your two senior brothers and sisters are both extraordinary temperaments, and you have profound cultivation bases, and you can see clearly. Why don't you just hand over this case to them for investigation, and you can retreat behind the scenes, so that you can help the three dead people find the real culprit , and it will not affect Shi Shi and Yun Shi's rare peace."

Shi Zhilin didn't expect the magistrate to say such a thing, and he knew that the magistrate's words were really for him, but he didn't think that he should hide. People who kill people don't hide, he Why should an investigator hide?

"Master Zhang is kind, Zhilin understands." Shi Zhilin is not ignorant of good and bad, although the magistrate Mr. Zhang has concealed something before, it is not for his own selfish desires, but for the overall situation. At this moment, he is really for him Thinking about it, the lives of those three people are also lives, and they cannot be buried casually in the name of "taking care of the overall situation": "It's just today's matter, Mr. Zhang is dereliction of duty, can you admit it?"

The magistrate bowed deeply: "I plead guilty."

Shi Zhilin nodded: "My son will report this matter to His Majesty, and His Majesty will decide how to make a decision." He paused, and then said: "My son will also report your thoughts and worries."

The magistrate obviously didn't expect to be like this, and after a pause, he said deeply: "Xie Shizi."

Shi Zhilin nodded, and put away the talisman: "In that case, let's take us to see the corpse."

The magistrate didn't evade any more, and directly brought the three of them to the autopsy room. There were more than a dozen corpses here, all covered with white cloth, and they could smell the rotten stench without getting close.

Shi Zhilin: "Why are there so many corpses here today?"

The magistrate said: "There is an endless stream of people coming to Zhongzhou City during these days, and the moat outside the city will drown a group of people at this time, and I am used to it."

Shi Zhilin was curious: "Why did you say that?"

The magistrate said: "When the Tianshan Dao Discussion Conference starts, countless monks and ordinary people will flock to Zhongzhou City, especially those businessmen, who want to take advantage of this period to make a fortune. Can enter and exit at will, so those who have no way to guide will want to write other ways."

Shi Zhilin caught a glimpse of a swollen and purple hand from the corner of his eye, and looked away with some discomfort: "Is there a passage in the moat that can enter the city?"

The magistrate nodded: "The moat is connected to the water system in the city. It is not stagnant water, so there are passages connecting it. However, we have more guards at these passages. It's just that there are too many people who want to pass through the river. No matter how many guards there are, we can't completely Guard."

Shi Zhilin looked away from the coarse cloth clothes with a corner exposed, pursed his lips, and didn't ask any more questions.

Seeing this, the magistrate felt even more regretful. If Yun Zhou had such a heir, it would not be impossible to create a prosperous world in the future.

Soon, they came to the three corpses.

The little official at the side removed the white shroud and stepped aside.

Zhiwei stepped forward to check first, but after a few glances, she said, "There is spiritual energy remaining, it's not evil spirits, it's the work of monks." She turned to look at the magistrate, "Who did these three people have an enmity with recently? Or Have you heard of which monk they offended?"

Knowing Shi Zhilin's attitude, the magistrate could only tell the truth: "These three are classmates and friends, and one of them is named Yun Sheng, who is the friend of the lady of the Huakui in the South Lane of Pingkangli. I am ready to redeem myself..."

After the magistrate finished speaking, Zhiwei picked up his sword and said, "Let's go to Xianlai Inn."

Shi Zhilin and Bai Xuzhi followed behind her, a few steps behind.

Bai Xuzhi said lightly: "You already knew."

Shi Zhilin nodded, and told Bai Xuzhi what the magistrate said: "I don't think there is anything to avoid. He killed someone, so why should I avoid suspicion?"

Bai Xuzhi: "It's not to avoid suspicion, but to avoid incidents."

Shi Zhilin didn't expect Bai Xuzhi to persuade him, he said with a smile, "Are you worried about me?"

Bai Xuzhi glanced at him lightly and quickened his pace.

The three of them soon arrived at Xianlai Inn. The three-year Dao Discussion Conference in Tianshan was coming soon, and all the inns were overcrowded. However, this inn was empty, except for a few guards downstairs, there was no one there.

When Xiaoer saw them coming, he also recognized the clothes on them at a glance, bowed slightly and said: "Several immortal masters, this place has been taken down."

Zhiwei said: "We are here to investigate the case."

Xiao Er was taken aback, and before he had time to speak, the shopkeeper came out in a hurry: "Investigate the case? I am wronged! This shop has been operating honestly..."

"It's not to check you." Zhiwei raised his eyes and looked at the group of people coming down: "It's to check them."

The leader was dressed in a brocade robe, with a small and exquisite red fox hovering over his shoulder. Hearing this, he stopped and said condescendingly, "Check us? What a big tone! Do you know who we are?"