Looking at that story, Lu Ziyin suddenly understood everything.
He went over it again.
The Demon Suppression Bureau discovered the belongings of Mount Shushan disciples.
Then they successfully tracked down a cult leader here.
And then, following the cult leader’s lead, they found the true mastermind behind it all.
In the end, when this mastermind was about to be subdued by him and tried to flee...
He had intended to injure him, but the guy was hell-bent on dying...
Lu Ziyin sucked in a breath—wasn’t that story he just read...
The true culprit was just a scapegoat, meant to cover up the real truth.
And the constable... was him.
Lu Ziyin suddenly jumped up, eyes wide open.
I’m just... so smart!!!
The large-scale disappearance of citizens in Panlong City was a cover-up for this very truth.
But among the missing, the mastermind didn’t know there were Mount Shushan disciples.
That’s what triggered Mount Shushan’s investigation.
To deal with Mount Shushan, they immediately pushed out a scapegoat.
Lu Ziyin’s lips curled, and he murmured to himself:
"You made your biggest mistake by making me your enemy—your defeat was decided from the start!!"
"I’ve got to tell the City Lord this right away!"
Li Xuanxiao, who was secretly watching Lu Ziyin: (눈‸눈)
Wow. You're a real genius.
He had still overestimated Senior Brother Lu’s IQ. The story should’ve been written even simpler.
As soon as Lu Ziyin stepped out and took a few steps, he ran into Li Xuanxiao around the corner.
Li Xuanxiao gave a slight bow. "Senior Brother, where are you off to in such a hurry?"
"I was just heading to find the City Lord!"
"Oh? What's so urgent?"
"A major matter—nearly got fooled, but thankfully I’m sharp and alert!"
"Oh? Senior Brother is sharp and alert—who in Mount Shushan doesn’t know this? Who could possibly fool you?" Li Xuanxiao put on a look of amazement.
His words made Lu Ziyin beam with pride.
"What exactly did Senior Brother discover?"
Lu Ziyin proceeded to explain his discovery truthfully.
Li Xuanxiao's expression slowly froze, then turned into a mix of shock, admiration, and sudden realization.
"Senior Brother, your attention to detail is unmatched—your junior is truly in awe!!"
Lu Ziyin waved it off. "It’s nothing."
"Then who is this mastermind?"
Li Xuanxiao nodded. "If this mastermind is operating in Panlong City, he must wield great power. For so many citizens to disappear without drawing the court’s attention...
Or maybe the court has noticed, but they’ve got insiders helping him.
Most importantly, with so many people gone—even if there were bodies, they’d be piled up into mountains.
But Panlong City hasn’t found a single corpse. If the mastermind acted within the city, the City Lord’s mansion should’ve noticed long ago.
Yet not only have they not noticed, it now seems they’re helping cover it up.
With this level of influence, the mastermind must have an even firmer grip on Panlong City than the City Lord.
And the most powerful, highest-ranking person in Panlong City... is the City Lord himself. So..."
Lu Ziyin had another moment of realization. "The mastermind is... the City Lord’s dad!!"
Li Xuanxiao’s heart skipped a beat—twice.
"In Panlong City, only the City Lord’s dad ranks higher than the City Lord!"
Lu Ziyin smacked his forehead.
Li Xuanxiao:..........
"Senior Brother, you are indeed clever, but I heard the City Lord’s father passed away years ago."
"Then it’s his grandpa. His third uncle. Second uncle’s wife? Great-grandfather? Younger aunt’s husband..."
Lu Ziyin counted on his fingers, then suddenly raised a brow and said:
"Or maybe... it’s the City Lord!!"
Li Xuanxiao sincerely clapped his little hands—pa pa.
"Senior Brother, you truly are a genius strategist, wise and courageous, smart and capable, sharp and insightful."
"D**n it, I’m going to confront him right now!"
"Wait, Senior Brother—don’t forget this is the City Lord’s mansion. Who knows how many people here are loyal to him? We’re on his turf and outnumbered."
Lu Ziyin snorted, "What do I have to fear! Mount Shushan Sword Command."
As he lifted his hand, a sleeve sword shot from his robe.
The sword turned into a stream of light and shot toward the sky.
In mere moments, Mount Shushan would receive the signal.
The Sword Command of Mount Shushan—anyone who sees it, regardless of time or place or reason, must immediately rush to the location.
The sword command exploded in the sky, emitting a strange glow.
Everyone in the city saw it.
However, Lu Ziyin frowned.
The command didn’t rise as high as it should have.
"It was blocked by the city’s defensive formation."
Li Xuanxiao quickly reminded him.
Honestly, sometimes... he was just resigned.
Couldn’t we just quietly leave Panlong City, return to home base, gather the brothers, and fight him together?
"Let’s go! Where are Su Wan and Zhao Lu?" Lu Ziyin asked immediately.
Li Xuanxiao quickly replied, "Senior Sister Su Wan is on the street. Junior Sister Zhao Lu seems to have been summoned by someone from the palace."
Lu Ziyin had no choice but to take Li Xuanxiao and vanish from the City Lord’s mansion in the blink of an eye.
At that moment, the City Lord was standing just outside the mansion.
A dark mass of armored soldiers was rapidly approaching.
"Peak Master Lu, where are you headed?" the City Lord asked coldly.
"Mount Shushan has summoned me—I won’t be staying long."
"A day or two wouldn’t make a difference. Why not stay a few more days, all food and drink on me?"
Lu Ziyin chuckled. "No need to trouble you, City Lord."
"No trouble at all, what’s the harm?"
Lu Ziyin pressed one hand on his sword. "Enough. Drop the act! Are you going to surrender and accept judgment, or get dragged down in disgrace?"
"I choose to kill you all right here."
"Arrogant!" Lu Ziyin said coldly. "Do you think Mount Shushan doesn’t exist? Or are you just looking down on me too much?"
The City Lord raised his magical artifact and shouted:
"Mount Shushan disciples have colluded with the evil cult to plot against Panlong City! All soldiers, obey my command—kill the traitors!!"
As the deafening battle cries roared through the skies, a wave of intense vital energy surged like a tsunami, engulfing everything.
Brilliant, wind-fluttering battle flags rose high.
Once a large-scale military formation was successfully assembled on the battlefield, its destructive power was enough to strike fear into any enemy.
Those forming this army were not ordinary mortals. They were seasoned body-refining cultivators, forged through countless trials.
Unlike those who sought immortality, these cultivators had abandoned the desire for long life, dedicating themselves fully to combat and physical refinement.
As a result, although these body cultivators possessed extraordinary strength, their lifespan was short, often not living past forty due to extreme life force depletion.
Clearly, these soldiers were the City Lord’s death squad.
Their armor was engraved with talismans and linked to the city’s defensive formation, constantly absorbing true essence.
"Xuanxiao, stay behind me."
Lu Ziyin slowly drew his sword.
"Everyone, if you run now—you might still live!!"