Young hero, stay put and don't be reckless.

Chapter 67 Investigation

The next morning, Jiang Xun was awakened by the chirping of birds outside his window. The sky was just beginning to lighten, and the streets were already bustling with activity.

The shouts of breakfast stall vendors, the footsteps of people carrying loads, and the endless thumping of firewood being chopped by someone—all these sounds filled the air.

Jiang Xun lay on the bed in a daze for a while, thinking about what happened last night. Suddenly, a surge of heat rushed through his body. It was fleeting, but he felt it very clearly.

He sat up abruptly, feeling the faint warmth.

"We need to go check it out."

He quickly washed his face, changed into some inconspicuous coarse cloth clothes, and went out the door.

The courtyard was quiet, and the door to Li Che and his sister's room was still closed.

Jiang Xun left the inn quietly without alerting them, and strolled towards the Meng residence.

There were already quite a few people on the street.

There was a queue in front of the steamed bun shop, with stacks of steaming bamboo steamers piled high.

Street vendors carrying loads of goods hawked their wares along the streets, selling everything from needles and thread to cosmetics.

Several men in short brown clothes squatted in the corner, slurping down their porridge from bowls.

Jiang Xun bought two steamed buns and ate them as he walked, strolling leisurely towards the Meng residence.

When he got nearby, he slowed down and pretended to be a passerby, but his eyes kept wandering around.

Upon taking a closer look, a problem was indeed discovered.

Two people were sitting at a tea stall diagonally opposite the Meng residence. They looked like ordinary customers, but their posture—their backs were ramrod straight, and their eyes kept glancing at the gate of the Meng residence. Could they really be ordinary tea drinkers?

A few steps further on, behind the sugar figurine stall on the street corner, a middle-aged man was holding a sugar figurine in his hand, but his movements were slow and his eyes kept drifting towards the Meng residence.

And in the window on the second floor opposite, there was a figure sitting motionless behind the curtain.

Jiang Xun understood.

He continued walking forward, circling around to the back wall of the Meng residence.

This is a quiet alley, there aren't many people here.

A beggar was squatting by the wall, dressed in tattered clothes, with a broken bowl in front of him.

As Jiang Xun passed by, the beggar looked up at him—his eyes were clear and bright; he didn't look like a beggar at all.

"Well, they're all hidden sentries," Jiang Xun muttered to himself. "Are they planning to forcibly seize the dragon crystal?"

He walked and pondered.

It's certain that the Dragon Crystal is in the Meng residence.

But how to get my hands on it is still a problem.

Forcing their way in is definitely not an option. The Meng residence is teeming with people, both inside and out, including those martial arts masters lurking in the shadows. No matter how skilled I am, I can't withstand a group attack.

Then we can only outsmart them.

He circled around again, memorizing the surrounding terrain, and was preparing to leave—

Suddenly, a cold voice came from behind.

"Jiang Xun?"

Jiang Xun was taken aback, turned around, and saw a person standing at the alley entrance.

A blue robe, a square scarf, and a delicate face—it was the scholar disguised as a man from last night.

Despite being dressed as an ordinary scholar, he inexplicably captivated people's attention.

A thought suddenly popped into Jiang Xun's mind: What would this person look like if he dressed as a woman?

But the thought only flashed through his mind before he forcefully suppressed it.

"This... young master," he said, revealing his usual smirk, "do you know me?"

The scholar didn't reply, but just looked at him, his eyes as calm as an autumn pool.

Jiang Xun felt a little uneasy under her gaze, and his smile froze.

He scratched his head, about to say something to ease the awkwardness, when the scholar suddenly spoke up.

"What do you think is the significance of learning martial arts?"

Jiang Xun was stunned.

What is the significance of learning martial arts?

He grew up in the streets, learning petty theft and how to escape and save his life.

Later, he was implanted with the Unbound Heaven Guiding Technique by Shen Bufan and embarked on the path of martial arts in a daze. Along the way, he had fought many battles, but he had never thought about this issue.

He suddenly recalled what Li Che had said last night: "Mirror Lake may want to choose someone like the Sword God, someone who is willing to protect the common people and uphold justice."

And look at the scholar's demeanor, the way he asks questions...

Jiang Xun suddenly felt enlightened.

The people of Mirror Lake.

And it's highly likely that she is the legendary Fairy of Mirror Lake, Ye Qingying.

The next moment, he felt a surge of smugness.

Is this a test for me?

Am I on the shortlist for Jinghu?

The corners of his mouth had just turned up when he noticed that the scholar opposite him was looking at him.

His gaze wasn't sharp or aggressive, but it was impossible to ignore.

Jiang Xun felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze and scratched his head.

"Learning martial arts, naturally..." He put away his playful smile, thought for a moment, and said seriously, "so that I won't be bullied."

The scholar didn't speak, but just looked at him quietly.

Jiang Xun felt uneasy under her gaze and added, "You also have to protect people."

"Protector?"

Jiang Xun recalled the scene from that night at the Gu family's house. He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "I only hate that I am not strong enough to protect those innocent people."

"Are you referring to the Gu family of Yunzhou?" the scholar suddenly asked.

Jiang Xun looked up and stared at her.

Last night I only mentioned the Gu family, but not Yunzhou.

How did she know?

"Did you already know about the Gu family?" Jiang Xun's voice unconsciously turned somber.

The scholar remained silent for a moment before saying softly, "I did hear about it before last night."

"So you knew all along that it was Xingxiu Haigan?"

"Yinzhai investigated and, judging from the method of the crime, it seems to be the work of Xingxiuhai, but there is no concrete evidence."

"No empirical evidence?"

Jiang Xun's anger suddenly flared up.

He himself couldn't explain where this anger came from.

"You call yourselves the righteous path of the martial arts world, claiming to care for all living beings, but what is the reality?" Jiang Xun's voice rose. "You let the murderer go unpunished, saying there's no evidence, then go and investigate!"

"Aren't you Mirror Lake Sect? Aren't you Hidden Abode Sect? Aren't you the number one sect in the world? With your great abilities, how come you can't find any concrete evidence?"

He spoke faster and faster, as if he had finally found the words he had been holding back for a long time: "Where were you when Xingxiuhai was committing murder and arson? Where were you when the Gu family of thirteen was brutally murdered? Now you're telling me there's no evidence? Go find the evidence then!"

The alley was extremely quiet.

The hustle and bustle of the distant streets seemed to be shut out.

The scholar stood there quietly, listening without interrupting or offering any explanation.

Her gaze fell on Jiang Xun's face, as calm as a deep pool, revealing no emotion.

Jiang Xun finished speaking in one breath, his chest heaving.

The scholar simply stared at him quietly for a moment, and then—

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.

He turned and left.

The man in the blue robe flashed at the alley entrance and then disappeared into the morning light.

Jiang Xun stood there, stunned for a long time.

They just left like that?

He scratched his head and suddenly felt a little uneasy.

Was my outburst of anger a bit inexplicable?

They didn't say they wouldn't interfere; they just said there was no concrete evidence.

Even if Mirror Lake is large, you can't just convict someone arbitrarily, can you?

Jiang Xun squatted against the wall, holding his head, wishing he could slap himself a couple of times.

"Jiang Xun, Jiang Xun, have you lost your mind?" he muttered. "Dragon Crystal, something that could save lives, and you just chased it away with your insults?"

But upon further reflection, what he said earlier wasn't entirely without merit.

The Xingxiu Sea was filled with murder and arson; did these prestigious sects really know absolutely nothing about it?