Five thousand low-grade spirit stones. A full five thousand!
That young man had simply said, “I’ll pay on Senior Lai’s behalf,” as if it were nothing.
Elder Sun’s brow twitched sharply.
He naturally recognized Meng Qiuran—a core disciple of the Dan Sect Branch. This man was willing to pay a five-thousand-spirit-stone fine for a rogue cultivator he had met by chance, without even asking the reason or looking at the evidence.
It was as if, in his eyes, this “Senior Lai” could never have done anything dishonorable, and the so-called theft accusation was nothing more than a trivial misunderstanding.
Just who was this man surnamed Lai?
Elder Sun’s gaze unconsciously drifted to the man standing in the hall.
The man still wore a faint smile, as if all of this had already been within his expectations.
Elder Sun looked away and cleared his throat.
“Since Fellow Daoist Meng is willing to repay the fine on Fellow Daoist Lai’s behalf, the matter of compensation is settled.”
He paused before continuing,
“As for the conflict between Fellow Daoist Lai and the Hundred Herbs Hall, since Qian Fu was the one stirring up trouble, both sides are victims of deception. This matter ends here. What do the two of you think?”
Lai Li’an nodded slightly and was about to speak.
“Elder Sun, wait!”
Hong Wu stepped forward sharply, his face bright red.
“This Lai claims he left a tracking mark on Qian Fu and says he will follow the clues to catch Qian Fu’s accomplices. That’s all his own words! He says he left a mark, so he left one? I ask Elder Sun—if everyone were like him, stealing something and then fabricating a story about eliminating harm for the people when caught, what use are the market regulations? Where is the authority of the Enforcement Hall?”
He grew more agitated as he spoke.
“Unless he actually catches Qian Fu and brings him here for a confrontation, I won’t believe it!”
“How insolent.”
Meng Qiuran’s voice was not loud, but it was like a bucket of ice water pouring down.
He looked coldly at Hong Wu.
“Senior Lai’s actions do not require proof to you.”
Hong Wu’s momentum shrank by three tenths under that gaze, but he still refused to yield verbally.
He craned his neck, about to say something more, when Elder Sun raised a hand to stop him.
“What Fellow Daoist Hong says is not without reason.”
Elder Sun pondered for a moment.
“Fellow Daoist Lai claims he left a tracking mark. Whether that statement is true or false, indeed only Fellow Daoist Lai knows. The Enforcement Hall handles cases based on evidence, not one-sided words. How about this—Li Xiuyuan.”
“Here, sir.”
“Go with Fellow Daoist Lai and assist in apprehending Qian Fu. If we can catch him with the stolen goods, this case will be completely closed, and Fellow Daoist Lai’s innocence will be proven.”
Hong Wu opened his mouth, wanting to say more, but Elder Sun waved his hand.
“This matter is settled. Court adjourned.”
Seeing that he could no longer punish Lai Li’an, Hong Wu’s face turned ashen.
He gave a heavy snort and stormed off, flicking his sleeves.
After the court closed, Meng Qiuran quickly walked up to Lai Li’an.
The cold and fierce expression on his face had already faded, replaced by humility.
“Senior Lai has been wronged. That Hong fellow doesn’t know what’s good for him. I hope Senior won’t stoop to his level.”
Lai Li’an smiled and cupped his hands.
“I am grateful to Young Friend Meng for your generous help today. I will remember this favor.”
Meng Qiuran hurriedly waved his hands, a hint of embarrassment appearing on his face.
“Senior is too kind! Too kind! A mere five thousand spirit stones are not worth mentioning. Oh, that’s right,”
he said, as if suddenly remembering something, his tone becoming more serious.
“The Alchemy Grand Assembly is approaching. I hope Senior won’t forget about it. I look forward to your presence then.”
Lai Li’an nodded slightly.
“Rest assured. I won’t forget what I promised.”
They exchanged a few more pleasantries, then Lai Li’an made an excuse and took Su Wan’er to leave.
As they walked out of the Public Trial Hall’s main gate, crossed the corridor, and arrived at the square in front of the Enforcement Hall, a figure emerged from behind a corridor pillar.
It was Li Xiuyuan.
He cupped his hands toward Lai Li’an.
“Fellow Daoist Lai, Elder Sun ordered me to accompany you to apprehend Qian Fu. May I ask when you plan to set out? I’ll arrange the men.”
Lai Li’an stopped in his tracks, then looked at him without changing his expression.
“Qian Fu is a cunning and suspicious man. If I bring a team of Enforcement Hall disciples with great fanfare, it will likely alert the enemy. Here’s what we’ll do—you go back first. In three days, I will come to find you.”
Li Xiuyuan hesitated for a moment, but thinking of everything that had happened in the Public Trial Hall, he finally nodded and cupped his hands.
“In that case, Xiuyuan will await your good news.”
He then turned and went back into the Enforcement Hall.
Lai Li’an watched his back disappear through the door, then led Su Wan’er around two streets.
After confirming there were no more suspicious eyes around, he slipped into an empty alley at the edge of the market.
Lai Li’an leaned against the stone wall and let out a long breath.
His tense nerves finally relaxed at that moment.
He felt his legs go weak.
‘If I had shown even the slightest sign of weakness just now, I’d probably be stuck in the Enforcement Hall’s dungeon, never to see the light of day again.’
Go catch Qian Fu? He didn’t even know which direction the man had run.
That “tracking mark” was a complete lie he had made up on the spot.
‘Forget it. Time to run.’
He calculated silently in his mind.
‘Once I leave Yunze Market, I’ll find a faraway place to lie low. After a while, maybe these people will forget about me.’
It was a pity he couldn’t be the judge for the Alchemy Grand Assembly anymore, but it was still better than being thrown in jail.
Just as he was comforting himself, he looked up and found Su Wan’er standing beside him with her head down, silent.
“Wan’er?”
Lai Li’an frowned slightly.
The young girl’s shoulders trembled lightly, but she didn’t raise her head.
She had been silent the whole way since leaving the Public Trial Hall.
Lai Li’an thought she was scared, but now, looking at her, it didn’t seem like fear—it seemed like she was holding something in.
“Master,”
Su Wan’er finally spoke, a hint of tears in her voice.
“Disciple… is disciple very stupid?”
She looked up at Lai Li’an, tears swirling in her eyes, but she held them back stubbornly, refusing to let them fall.
“Master saw through Qian Fu’s problem at a glance. You even guessed that the Bone-Erosion Curse on his hand was tattooed. But I foolishly ran after him and asked what to do about the antidote, thinking I was helping him. I didn’t notice anything at all from beginning to end, and I almost made Master bear the crime of theft…”
She spoke faster and faster, her voice choking up.
“If Fellow Daoist Meng hadn’t arrived in time, I… I almost put Master in danger.”
Lai Li’an looked at the young girl before him, a complex emotion surging in his heart.
He thought she was afraid of something, but it turned out she was blaming herself again.
“Wan’er,”
he sighed softly.
“I have cultivated for over three hundred years. I’ve seen more evil in people’s hearts than the roads you’ve walked. You’ve never met someone like Qian Fu before, so you didn’t recognize him. That’s not because you’re stupid. It’s because you haven’t learned one thing yet.”
He paused and looked into Su Wan’er’s eyes.
“You haven’t learned to doubt others. That’s not a flaw, Wan’er. It’s something very precious.”
Su Wan’er blinked.
The teardrops on her eyelashes fell, but the light in her eyes brightened.
Lai Li’an reached out and patted her shoulder, a slight curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.
“Stupid or not aside, right now I have an important matter that I need your help with.”
Su Wan’er immediately wiped her face with her sleeve, took a deep breath, and straightened her back.
“Please speak, Master. Disciple will definitely accomplish it!”
“Take me away from here.”
Su Wan’er froze for a moment, then a look of sudden understanding spread across her face.
“Disciple understands! Qian Fu is no longer in Yunze Market. He cheated so many people, and the Enforcement Hall is after him. He must have fled far away already. We’ll chase him further!”
Lai Li’an opened his mouth.
Looking at her determined expression, he ultimately swallowed the explanation that was on the tip of his tongue.
He silently nodded, a faint, inscrutable smile on his face.
‘Forget it. Let her think whatever she wants. The priority right now is to get out of this place of trouble.’