"This Zhao is not that Zhao, esteemed one, please do not misunderstand. I am from the Jiujiang Zhao, and although our ancestors were once the same as the Zhao family here, we've been separated for two hundred years now, and we're not of the same ilk."

Upon hearing his own introduction, the other party became noticeably more cautious, and the intention to take action became stronger. Zhao Yi also discerned something and continued:

"Our Family Head heard of the contrary acts against the Righteous path committed by the Zhao family here and specially commanded the two of us to investigate. Now that the investigation is clear, the current Zhao family here consists of four people.

An old great-grandmother, who has a son, and further down, a pair of twin great-grandsons and great-granddaughters.

This family not only refines cursed objects with living people but also uses the maintenance and adoption of orphans as a medium to transfer the backlash of the curse spell, and this old woman even borrows yang life from her kindred.

Each and every act, an utterly heinous crime, enrages both gods and humans. Righteous People from all over should come forward to punish them!

I was about to return to report to the Family Head and ask for orders to eliminate this scourge, to clear the name of our Zhao Family.

I presume, friend, you are also here for the sake of the Righteous path, right?"

The other party spoke earnestly, with justifiable reasons, and even uncovered the true colors of Shizhuo Zhao, making it seem true.

However, Li Zhiyuan did not need to discern the truth or falsehood of the other party's words, nor did he need to spend such effort.

The youth raised his hand, pointed at the young man opposite him, and said:

"You come over here by yourself, I'll treat you to some sweet potatoes."

"Master shouldn't!" Mr. Tian immediately advised.

"Grandpa Tian, who told you can only deal with one person?"

"Master, even if I risk this old life of mine, I also..."

"Also want you to be buried in this field with me?"

Mr. Tian: "..."

"Don't worry, at worst, I'll trouble Grandpa Tian to temporarily take the place of someone else's knife."

Zhao Yi staggered towards Run Sheng.

Run Sheng didn't look at him.

Zhao Yi passed by Run Sheng's side, walked a distance further, and finally reached Lin Shuyou.

Then, he finally couldn't maintain his balance any longer, and "plop," he knelt on the ground.

This time it wasn't an act; he genuinely couldn't walk anymore, each step caused him to feel dizzy and lightheaded.

Li Zhiyuan also sat down and threw him a piece of roasted sweet potato.

"Heh heh, just craving this." Zhao Yi peeled it, took a bite, "Sweet, delicious."

Li Zhiyuan then threw two more roasted sweet potatoes to Lin Shuyou: "Take them to that old man."

In the distance, Mr. Tian, seeing his young master having already gone in as a hostage, simply stopped confronting Run Sheng and squatted down in the field, fuming on his own.

Lin Shuyou took the sweet potatoes, shaking his head.

He was worried that the sickly young man might suddenly lash out and harm Brother Xiao Yuan.

Li Zhiyuan knew what he was worried about and said, "His Gate of Life and Death is cracked; he's a cripple."

"Pfft...cough cough cough...cough cough cough!"

Zhao Yi, upon hearing this, immediately started coughing violently, continually pounding on his chest.

In the distance, Mr. Tian, who had just squatted down, immediately stood up, only to see his young master gesturing during the coughing, raising his right hand and shaking it downwards, prompting Mr. Tian to squat down again.

Zhao Yi somewhat helplessly said, "Everyone says that this crack in my Gate of Life and Death is a sign of genius, yet to you, I'm a cripple?"

Li Zhiyuan: "A genius who can't even take care of his own life?"

Zhao Yi corrected, "That's still a genius!"

Li Zhiyuan: "Is being a genius valuable?"

Zhao Yi frowned, took another bite of sweet potato, "It's not like I can really think of myself as crippled. At least being called a genius helps me persevere in living."

Li Zhiyuan nodded: "Makes sense."

Lin Shuyou, seeing Brother Xiao Yuan convinced of the other's harmlessness, then took the sweet potatoes and left to give them to the old man.

"Thank you." The old man took the sweet potato and thanked him, then casually asked, "Are you one of the Eight Generals or the head of officials?"

"Head of officials."

After answering, Lin Shuyou returned.

Run Sheng then squatted down beside the old man to accompany him.

His mission was to always accompany the old man and play checker games with him.

The old man, while gnawing on the sweet potato, asked, "Your internal martial arts have been cultivated to such an extent, and you're still so young, truly remarkable."

Run Sheng, unlike Lin Shuyou who couldn't keep his mouth shut, did not engage and simply silently took out his cigar box.

Mr. Tian continued to ask, "Who is your master?"

Run Sheng shook his head, "I have no master."

He did have one once, but during his River Crossing journey, he changed how he addressed himself.

"My young master is already in your hands, what's wrong with telling some truths? You can ask me, too."

"I'm not interested in you."

"Heh, good."

Run Sheng lit the coarse incense, took a deep puff, and then slowly exhaled.

Mr. Tian said in shock, "You motherfucker are dead..."

Run Sheng turned his head to look at him.

Immediately, Mr. Tian stuffed his mouth full of sweet potatoes.

Run Sheng didn't look at him anymore and continued smoking his cigar.

At the other end, Zhao Yi nudged closer to Li Zhiyuan and asked curiously, "How could you tell at a glance that I am from the Gate of Life and Death with a crack?"

"It's a fissure."

"Fissure doesn't sound good. I have a fissure between my eyebrows, not down there."

"I read about it in a book."

"What kind of book records this?"

"Just some discarded books from an underground room at home."

Zhao Yi gave an embarrassed smile, thinking he had been caught trying to probe the other's identity, and that the other was just teasing him back.

After finishing the sweet potato in his hand, Zhao Yi seemed to have made up a certain decision, and sincerely asked, "Do you have a healing method?"

Li Zhiyuan replied, "It's the same as the treatment for 'down there.'"

"Ah? The upper and lower can be the same?"

"Just cut it off."

Zhao Yi swallowed, murmuring, "If I dig it out, I won't be a genius anymore."

"Then you really aren't."

Li Zhiyuan picked up a stick and pushed some more sweet potatoes into the fire to bake, waiting for Binbin and Meng Meng to come back and eat.

Zhao Yi asked pensively, "If it were you, would you be willing to give it up, even if it burdens you, even if it harms you?"

Li Zhiyuan moved the flaming stick in front of him, blew out the flames in a breath, and said:

"I would."

Hearing this, Zhao Yi buried his head even deeper.

Tan Wenbin and Yin Meng returned, first noticing Mr. Tian squatting with Run Sheng, then seeing Zhao Yi sitting with Li Zhiyuan.

Both of them knew who to ask for information, so they picked Lin Shuyou, who recounted what had happened earlier with a lot of gestures.

Tan Wenbin and Yin Meng came over and sat down.

Binbin threw an arm over Zhao Yi's shoulder, "Hostage bro, nice to meet you."

Zhao Yi replied, "I've heard much about you."

Tan Wenbin picked up a sweet potato and blew on it as he said, "Little... Bro, looks like we made a wasted trip."

Li Zhiyuan said, "Let's hear it."

"This Shizhuo Zhao in the village is running nursing homes and orphanages, even donating money for road construction, with a very good reputation. I almost got moved by their family's deeds.

It was just when I happened to come across one of their elders' funeral, I squeezed into the crowd and tested with talisman paper.

Hey, guess what, that talisman paper turned so black, it was authentic.

Damn, this is definitely a den of beasts."

Zhao Yi clenched his fists, chiming in, "Yes, they should be condemned by heaven and earth!"

"Hahaha, Hostage bro, you defected quite quickly."

"My stance is very firm because I will be River Crossing in the future."

Tan Wenbin said in confusion, "River Crossing, sounds so mysterious, what is it? It sounds awesome."

Zhao Yi replied, "Success in River Crossing turns you into a dragon, and then you become the Dragon King."

Tan Wenbin said, "Wow, never heard of it before. Cool, cool."

Immediately after, Tan Wenbin looked at Li Zhiyuan and asked, "Bro, what should we do now?"

Li Zhiyuan looked towards Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi began, "When the night falls, I'll break their ancestral hall's restrictions, enter the hall to destroy those cursed objects, and then cleanse this den of beasts.

But we must be cautious, they carry personal cursed objects on them.

Also, before we act, I need to set up an Array to separate their back courtyard from the front estate. In the east and west side rooms of the front estate live many elderly and children. We shouldn't involve them, to avoid unnecessary karma."

Tan Wenbin asked, "Oh, you can do Arrays too?"

Zhao Yi nodded, "I can. How about you, do you know how?"

Tan Wenbin waved his hand, "It's not much, just... a little understanding."

Li Zhiyuan threw the stick in his hand back into the fire, dusted off his hands, and said:

"Let's wait for dark."

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