I Slay Gods and Demons in the Deceit Night
Chapter 226 - 165: A Duel! The Seven-Step Strategy! So-Called Killing the Spirit! [First Update!]_2

Chapter 226: Chapter 165: A Duel! The Seven-Step Strategy! So-Called Killing the Spirit! [First Update!]_2

"But with High Willow City being so bustling, these people will not be too conspicuous among the crowd," Lin Yan mused.

"Still, we lost four pieces," Mr. Lu said, "One of them fled with a treasure, and the Observatory has already located his tracks! The other three were killed on the way."

"The work of Tribulation Ash?" Lin Yan asked.

"Regardless of whether it’s the work of Tribulation Ash, the true mastermind behind the scenes has already been identified," Mr. Lu stated.

"These sixty-seven treasures are also sixty-seven traps," Lin Yan suddenly realized.

"Because these sixty-seven treasures were transported to High Willow City through different channels, any problems with one of them will allow us to trace the corresponding internal thief of Tribulation Ash," Mr. Lu said with a smile.

"Mr. Lu, your strategies are brilliant!" Lin Yan exclaimed, showing his respect.

"It was my idea, but the execution was by Lu Changsheng and the three Great City Guards of Qifeng Prefecture. Their techniques were flawless," Mr. Lu said, stroking his beard. "How many have been calculated?"

Lin Yan thought for a moment and replied, "With people coming from all sides, High Willow City is thriving, trade routes are prosperous, and the foundation is richer; the whole city has made a huge profit, that’s one."

"Secretly transporting sixty-seven pieces of expansion materials and setting up sixty-seven traps, that’s the second."

Pausing for a moment, Lin Yan said, "It seems Han Commander is in closed-door training, preparing to undergo Qi Refinement. Could that be the third step?"

"Not exactly, but if we’re counting, it’s a step taken earlier than anticipated, so let’s consider it half a step."

"Xu Dingye, after all, is a young prodigy of the Human Clan. After this battle, he went to Residual Prison Mansion, and his chances of entering the Qi Refining Realm are over seventy percent... that can also be reluctantly counted as half a step," Mr. Lu stated.

"A duel set in three steps?"

"This duel planned seven steps!"

"What about the other four steps?"

"They haven’t started, and may not even begin."

Mr. Lu stood up and said, "I am just giving you an early warning; be more vigilant. In the future... should the Observatory appoint you to oversee all of High Willow City, you can’t rely merely on a sword."

With that, Mr. Lu walked out, waving his hand.

"Today, nine Pure Lands were destroyed. Was it the work of Tribulation Ash?"

Suddenly, Lin Yan spoke up, asking, "Or was it already anticipated, allowing Tribulation Ash to act, as part of the fourth step?"

Mr. Lu paused, his voice slightly low.

"At the time, I only planned three steps; what came afterward was Lu Changsheng’s maneuvering."

"Mr. Lu..." Lin Yan spoke again.

"What else is there?"

"The command of the Shadow Troops is in my hand. Did you foresee this long ago?"

"Haven’t I said already? Based on my deductions, of course, it was anticipated early on."

"So that day, you had me persuade my elder brother, was actually a step further, to make him understand what he truly seeks in his heart?"

"Exactly, the clearer his heart is, the sooner he can command the Shadow Troops."

"In that case, when should I capture the Evil Spirit for him to suppress?"

"It was planned for soon, but lately, let’s delay a bit longer," Mr. Lu decided.

"Why is that?"

"Your elder sister-in-law has been setting up a stall to earn money, and lost it all in the gambling den... your elder brother is also feeling down, needing to comfort his wife, and is too busy to maintain a calm heart to suppress the Evil Spirit."

"In fact, taking a hit was tantamount to conceding on the spot," Lin Yan hesitated before sighing.

"But you struck him twenty-three times, Xu Dingye has always been proud and arrogant, and not shameless, that he didn’t commit suicide in humiliation on the spot shows his strong will," Mr. Lu sighed.

"Alas..." Lin Yan also rubbed his forehead and walked out: "Mr. Lu, let me see you out."

"No need, Lv Tang is at the door; he doesn’t want to see you," Mr. Lu waved his hand.

"Why has Lv Tang been so distant with me lately?" Lin Yan asked, somewhat puzzled.

"He also lost." Mr. Lu said leisurely.

"..."

Lin Yan watched as Mr. Lu walked out of the gate of Linjiang Station.

Then a dark face peeked out from beside the door, then snorted heavily and withdrew.

"Recently, strangely enough, could there be some hidden flaws in the ancient laws?"

Lin Yan frowned slightly, about to turn back.

Then he saw Chief Clerk Yang hurriedly approaching.

"The Pure Lands outside the city have been destroyed in multiple places; there are not many left," he reported.

"I am already aware of this," Lin Yan replied.

"We might be in some trouble," Chief Clerk Yang said in a low voice.

"Trouble?" Lin Yan pondered, "Affecting the expansion of the city, indeed, that is troublesome."

"Not about expanding the city," Chief Clerk Yang quickly shook his head.

"What else could it be?" Lin Yan frowned.

"Originally, many visitors were supposed to leave in the next few days, but because the number of Pure Lands has decreased, they can’t all be let out at once; otherwise, outside the city, there would be fighting over the Pure Lands, resulting in many deaths," Chief Clerk Yang took a deep breath and said, "It seems we’ll have to release people gradually, a small batch each day."

"This should be handled by the City Defense Army," Lin Yan pondered aloud.

"But you are temporarily in charge of city defense, and a new Great Commander has yet to be chosen, so now this is our responsibility," Chief Clerk Yang paused and added, "Anyone who came here to watch the battle, from outside, is a scion of the nobility... it’s tough to decide who to release first, as we might offend people."

He hesitated before adding, "If anyone who is released gets intercepted and killed by Tribulation Ash, we would still be blamed."

Lin Yan didn’t respond, his brow furrowed.

Then he heard Chief Clerk Yang continue, "These people are the young generation, not of low birth, their status roughly equivalent to the direct descendants of the six major families of the inner city, and they could potentially be the rulers of various cities in the future!"

"And their elders are currently the rulers of various cities!"

"Deciding who to let out of the city first, and who later, is really a headache."

"If there are casualties among those released, the problem will be even bigger."

"Moreover, since you defeated the Little Divine Sect, your renown has spread through Qifeng Prefecture, and with someone pushing behind the scenes, it might add a flavor of arrogance and disdain for others!"