Chapter 21

Li Jinglong paced back and forth outside the courtroom for a quarter of an hour. When he saw the officials come out, they passed by him and left. Aside from Huang Yong and his old superior, Hu Sheng.

Li Jinglong stood up straight and stared at the two, waiting for the final result.

Hu Sheng sized up Li Jinglong but did not speak. He was constantly thinking of countermeasures. In these years, he did not know much about this former subordinate of his. Back then, Li Jinglong's reputation in the Long Wu Army was also quite bad. Hu Sheng even privately asked his subordinates why they did not like Li Jinglong.

His subordinates were all secretive and did not explain clearly. In any case, they did not like him and thought that he was arrogant. Some even said that he had some eccentricities. Hu Sheng did not ask any more questions. However, when his Exorcism Division was closed down, how to settle it down would be troublesome. Would he still be transferred back to the Long Wu Army?

Li Jinglong just stood there quietly, waiting for the two to speak. Huang Yong and Hu Sheng both had the same thought. They both felt that the person in front of them was pitiful. He was not young anymore. His ancestral home had been sold and his home was gone. Only the Exorcism Division had improved a little. Now, it was going to be closed down again.

"Do you have a little brother as a subordinate?" Hu Sheng paced a few steps and asked.

Li Jinglong's expression changed. He was afraid that Hongjun had caused some trouble. When he glanced at Huang Yong, he suddenly remembered that he was with Hongjun when Huang Yong came that day. Huang Yong must have told him.

"Yes." Li Jinglong said, "What?"

"Bring him here. In the future, you will still be transferred back to the Long Wu Army." Hu Sheng said, "Dismiss the rest and let the Ministry of Personnel settle them down. On the fifth of next month, the Exorcism Division will remove the plaque. You will be given ten days to move."

Li Jinglong's mind instantly went "boom" as if something had exploded. Thinking that he had misheard, he asked blankly, "What?"

"Don't make a fuss." Hu Sheng said, "In these few years, I've been mentally and physically exhausted because of you. Do you think I want to? Calm down, let's talk again in a few days. "

After that, Hu Sheng walked around Li Jinglong and left.

Huang Yong said, "Elder Li, I believe that there are demons in this world and I also believe in your character. However, there are some things that will not go your way. This is the most difficult thing in life. Since you've inherited Di Gong's sword, I'm sure you know how to keep a low profile … "

Li Jinglong could no longer hear what Huang Yong was saying. He quickly turned around to chase after Hu Sheng, but when he ran out of the Dali Temple, he could no longer find any trace of Hu Sheng. He stood on the main street, momentarily at a loss as if the world was spinning around him.

Li Jinglong didn't even know how he returned to the entrance of the Exorcism Department. At five o 'clock, the moon entered the front hall.

The Immovable Wisdom King was shrouded in a layer of gentle light, holding six magical artifacts in his hands, calmly looking at him.

A few cups and bowls were scattered in the courtyard. The couch in the hall had been moved out and placed under the parasol tree. There were also some tea leaves scattered on the ground. It seemed that they had spent some time under the parasol tree.

The lights in each room were extinguished. Obviously, they couldn't wait for him and went to sleep first, lest there be guests tomorrow and they become a joke.

Li Jinglong stood in the courtyard and looked at the scene in front of him. He was silent for a long time.

Hongjun lay on the couch and fell into a strange dream. In the dream, Chang 'an was a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. Black fog curled up and there were corpses everywhere. They were like turtles scuttling around the Daming Palace. The hands of the corpses stretched out towards him, wanting to drag him in.

He panicked and wanted to use the Five-colored Divine Light, but found that his meridians were already empty. He looked around and wanted to return to the Exorcism Department. However, for some reason, he didn't think of Chong Ming or Qing Xiong, but Li Jinglong.

He shouted, "Elder Li? Elder Li, where are you? "

He stumbled and ran in the city of Chang 'an. There were corpses everywhere. The black fog rolled up from behind, making his back feel cold. He fell heavily to the ground and shouted, "Li Jinglong?! Li Jinglong! "

When he got up again, he felt a strong force in his chest that almost broke through his chest, causing him incomparable pain.

"Li Jinglong — —!"

"Hongjun!"

In the room, Hong Jun rolled off the bed. Li Jinglong heard Hong Jun calling out his name in his sleep. He took a big stride forward and caught Hong Jun.

Hongjun suddenly struggled and woke up. When he was about to shout, Li Jinglong hurriedly made a "shh" gesture and looked at him in surprise. Hongjun was sweating all over. His eyes were wide open, his face was pale, and he couldn't stop gasping for breath.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Li Jinglong asked in a low voice.

He knelt on the ground and hugged Hongjun's shoulders. Hongjun grabbed his clothes and buried his head in his arms. He took a long breath.

At night, Li Jinglong's room was lit.

Hongjun took the calming medicine from the East Wing and went to Li Jinglong's room. Li Jinglong said, "Come in, make some for me too."

Hongjun replied, "I'll send it to you when I'm done."

He still remembered that day when he was rejected by Li Jinglong. Later, he asked the Carp Demon. The Carp Demon told him that some people didn't like others to enter their room. Hongjun remembered it.

"Stay with me for a while." Li Jinglong said.

Hongjun went in barefoot. He rubbed out a flame and lit up the small copper stove beside the table. He put a copper bowl on it and began to mix the herbs.

"Did you often dream when you were young?" Li Jinglong asked.

"No." Hongjun shook his head. "I only had nightmares after I left the mountain."

"Are you homesick?" Li Jinglong sighed and asked again.

He took off his outer robe and knelt on the other side of the table, facing Hongjun.

Hongjun used a copper spoon to gently stir-fry the herbs in the bowl. The light of the fire reflected on his heroic young man's face, but it also seemed to carry a bit of sadness.

When he heard the words "homesick", he looked up at Li Jinglong and smiled. That smile immediately caused Li Jinglong, who had already lost all hope in life, to feel the strings in the depths of his heart being gently plucked. A sound rang out, and it spread out like ripples.

"Zhao Zilong said that people always have to lose a lot of things before they can find the good in it." Hongjun said with a smile. "I'm homesick now because I left home. But I also like the Exorcism Division and everyone."

Li Jinglong's eyes were a little confused. He asked, "What do you like about the Exorcism Division?"

"The Wutong tree." Hongjun turned his head, leaned out, and said, "You also draw for me, take me to play, and accompany me …"

Li Jinglong replied in a low voice, "I don't know why, but I always feel that I hit it off with you."

It seemed that the fragrance of the sedative medicine had taken effect. Under the fragrance of the mixed herbs, Li Jinglong's worries were alleviated a lot. He couldn't help but look at the young man in front of him, thinking about why he always took special care of him.

Because he wasn't like the other three, who each had their own plans? No.

Because he was beautiful and made people have a good impression of him? Also no.

"What happened today?" Hongjun raised his head and asked again.

Li Jinglong saw the trace of confusion in Hongjun's eyes and suddenly understood. He couldn't help but laugh. He understood — —

— — He didn't understand a lot of things. He didn't look like other people, who would laugh at him when they saw him. He also didn't look like his colleagues in the Long Wu Army, who would flatter the strong and step on the weak. He didn't have any thoughts of scheming against others, nor did he have the desire to pry into people's hearts. He didn't think that he was shrewd, nor did he belittle himself. He didn't have any thoughts about worldly affairs and human relationships. He was ignorant.

People always liked to be friends with simple people, who didn't need to scheme and wouldn't be cheated.

"Were you cheated by me again?" Hongjun asked again.

Li Jinglong was overjoyed. He smiled helplessly and shook his head. Hongjun's face was full of doubts. He couldn't understand what Li Jinglong was thinking. In fact, he gradually understood most people's tactful words. He knew that people in this world often had hidden meanings in their words.

"Are you also so carefree at home?" Li Jinglong asked again, "You go around cheating people and causing trouble?"

"Chong Ming is too scary when he gets angry." Hongjun said, "How would I dare? I'm just unlucky. "

"A little bit." Li Jinglong didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He felt that since he knew Hongjun, unlucky things happened one after another. It was much more exaggerated than what he had experienced in the past twenty years.

"You don't understand mortals." Li Jinglong said, "Mortals live very bitterly."

Hongjun nodded and said, "Yes, mortals live very bitterly. Demons are demons, demons are mountain spirits and wild monsters. Demons are the evil spirits and pain of all living things. "

Li Jinglong's heart stirred. He asked, "They all say 'exorcist'. Why don't they say 'exorcist'? I've seen demons, but what about demons? Where are they? Are they also in Chang 'an? "

Hongjun thought for a moment and answered, "Because exorcist's ultimate responsibility is to dispel the pain of the divine land, expel the inner demons of all living things, dispel the demonic obstacles accumulated over the years, and purify the human world."

Since Hongjun could remember, he had never had any worries. He was free and unrestrained. Chong Ming's warm power was like a barrier, protecting him at all times and places. But after leaving Taihang Mountain for just two months, he discovered that the divine land actually had so much pain and sorrow. The human world's joy, anger, sorrow, joy, separation, and reunion were so strong.

Along the way, he saw poverty, death, illness, and old age. The Carp Demon told him that this was the suffering of the human world. Birth, old age, illness, death, resentment, separation, unrequited love, and the five aggregates. All kinds of pain scattered into the Qi channels of heaven and earth, repeated over and over again, and was constantly purified by this powerful force.

However, once the threshold of purification was exceeded, the evil spirits would gather and become "demons".

Hongjun always remembered Qing Xiong's mention of "Tianma", and the sentence that was interrupted by Chong Ming. He was very curious about the existence of demons, but the Carp Demon only explained the birth of demons and did not say anything else.

After Hongjun finished explaining, Li Jinglong frowned and said, "Maybe this is the divine land's tribulation that Di Gong mentioned."

Hongjun looked at Li Jinglong's worried expression and said with a smile, "You're always unhappy."

"I can't be happy." Li Jinglong said tiredly. When he looked at Hongjun, his heart felt a little better. He smiled and said, "But every time I talk to you, my mood becomes a lot better."

"You haven't drunk the medicine yet." Hongjun lifted the boiling water and poured it into the copper bowl to dissolve the decoction. He asked, "Did they ask you to pay for it? I still have some … "

Hongjun was about to get up to take his pearls when Li Jinglong answered, "It's not enough. Forget it, I'll slowly think of a way. The most troublesome thing is that the entire imperial court doesn't like me, but this is also reasonable."

"What about your emperor?" Hongjun said, "The palace is his. Just apologize to him and he'll agree, right? I just burned down the Dazzling Gold Palace before I went down the mountain … "

Li Jinglong, "…"

Hongjun's words woke him up again. No matter what happened, the one who nodded in the end was still Li Longji. In this world, as long as he said a word, it was more effective than anything else.

Li Jinglong frowned deeply. As long as the emperor knew what he was doing and trusted him, what could the officials do? But how could he convince the emperor and make him believe in the cause and effect? But at least this was a way. If he could do it before the fifth of next month …

"Let me think about it again." Li Jinglong answered, "This case is not closed yet. There's a demon in the palace, hmm …"

He vaguely had a vague outline. Hongjun handed the bowl of medicine to him. Li Jinglong motioned for him to drink it first while he began to think of a solution. Hongjun drank half of it. Li Jinglong took it and drank it.

"The medicine seems to be … a little … too much …" Hongjun said dizzily as soon as he drank it.

Li Jinglong had just finished drinking the medicine and saw that Hongjun was about to fall. He hurriedly went up to support him. Suddenly, he felt dizzy and almost lost his balance.

"You … Hongjun …"

Li Jinglong felt the world spinning and quickly sat down. Hongjun lost his support and leaned against Li Jinglong. He had already fallen asleep.

"What medicine is this, wait …" Li Jinglong was weak all over. He leaned against the couch and tried to get up with one hand, but his hand slipped and he completely lost consciousness.

The next morning.

The sun shone into the room. Atay walked past Li Jinglong's room and suddenly saw Li Jinglong sleeping on the couch with his legs slightly apart. Hongjun was lying on Li Jinglong's body. Both of them were wearing shirts and pants and were sleeping comfortably.

Atay: "…"

"Qiu Yongsi!" Atay hurriedly waved towards the courtyard. Qiu Yongsi had a keen sense of gossip and quickly ran over. When the two of them saw the scene in the room, they opened their mouths like Carp Demon.

"Call Mo Rigen to come and see?"

"What's there to see? What's there to see? Hurry up and close the door."

"Did you hear it last night? Hongjun kept calling his name! 'Sir! Sir! Li Jinglong! Jinglong! 'Did I hear wrongly? "

"Yes, yes, yes! I heard it, I heard it! I see! But aren't they in Hongjun's room? The sound came from the right! "

The sound gradually faded away, but Li Jinglong woke up first. As soon as he woke up, he lowered his head and saw Hongjun lying on top of him. For a moment, his heartbeat quickened. He hurriedly reached out to pat him and whispered, "Hongjun? Wake up! "

Hongjun was sleeping like a log. Last night, he was so busy talking that he overcooked the bowl of soup and added a lot more. After drinking it, he was almost unconscious.

Li Jinglong wanted to carry Hongjun back to his room, but everyone must have already woken up. If the Carp Demon saw them, it would make a fuss and make a fuss. Li Jinglong couldn't afford to offend it the most. He could only carry Hongjun to his bed and cover him with a blanket.

In the main hall, Mo Rigen was using a pair of pliers to twist a leather shield from who knows where. Atay was playing with a crystal, and Qiu Yongsi was drinking tea. Li Jinglong came over after washing up. Everyone hurriedly greeted him and asked about last night's incident with concern.

Li Jinglong replied with an "Mm". He only said that it was nothing serious. He ate his breakfast with a heavy heart and took the tea that Qiu Yongsi handed over. Atay and Qiu Yongsi exchanged a strange look. Mo Rigen cast a puzzled glance at them.

"So, the case is closed?" Atay asked.

"Not yet." Li Jinglong said, "We'll continue investigating today."

Everyone was puzzled. Li Jinglong thought about it and finally said, "Everyone, can you teach me magic?"

Everyone's mouth twitched.

"I don't want to be a burden to you." Li Jinglong said honestly, "You're right. As a mortal, I can't rely on force to catch demons."

When Hongjun woke up, he only felt that the tiredness of the past few days had been swept away. He stretched and suddenly realized that there was a pleasant smell on the blanket. When he looked up again, he realized that this was not his room. Why was he sleeping in Li Jinglong's room?

"Elder?! Elder Li?! "Hongjun shouted," Where are you? "

Li Jinglong and the three people were talking in the courtyard. When they heard Hongjun's shout, Li Jinglong immediately felt awkward. He was about to go back to explain when Mo Rigen said in surprise, "Hongjun? What's wrong? "

Hongjun ran out, dressed in white, and said, "Elder Li? What happened last night? "

The cup in the Carp Demon's hand fell to the ground with a "clang".

Li Jinglong hurriedly signaled him to stop talking nonsense. Hongjun said blankly, "Why am I sleeping in your bed? You even covered me with a blanket! "

Mo Rigen's face was full of surprise. He looked at Li Jinglong, then at Hongjun. Atay and Qiu Yongsi said in unison, "No way! What's going on? "

"Li Jinglong!" The Carp Demon shouted, "What did you do to our Hongjun?"

Li Jinglong finally couldn't take it anymore and shouted angrily, "Hongjun! You drank the Calming Soup, not the Soul Leaving Pollen. Did you forget everything? Last night you had a nightmare and yelled … yelled … yelled that you wanted to boil the Calming Soup. Borrow the stove in my room … "

Hongjun remembered and hurriedly nodded in apology, saying, "That's strange, why would I call you …"

"How would I know!" Li Jinglong was simply baffled and shouted angrily, "Go back and put on your clothes!"

"Elder Li, you don't have to explain it so clearly." Atay hurriedly said.

"Yes, yes." Qiu Yongsi said, "We all understand."

"What the hell do you understand!" Li Jinglong was almost angered to death, and it took him a while to calm down.

Hongjun changed his clothes and came out. He sat in the corridor and ate noodles. When he saw Atay and Qiu Yongsi teaching Li Jinglong spells in the courtyard, he curiously looked over.

"There's no spiritual energy in my meridians." Li Jinglong said.

"Actually, Elder Li." Mo Rigen said, "As a mortal, you're already very impressive."

Li Jinglong sighed, saying, "It's still not enough."

In front of the fox demon and the Ao Yu, Li Jinglong had to rely on Hongjun to protect himself. If he rashly went up, he was afraid that he would be swallowed by the demon in a few moves.

Qiu Yongsi said, "As a person, the most important thing is the brain." As he said this, he nodded his head and said, "The second most important thing is the spiritual energy. My grandfather said that if you rely on your treasures and cultivation, and rely on brute force for everything, you'll die in the hands of the demons sooner or later. "

"And you have Hongjun." Atay said.

"That's right, you have Hongjun." Mo Rigen and Qiu Yongsi hurriedly agreed.

Hongjun, "?"

Li Jinglong could only put down the sword in his hand. Hongjun came out of the courtyard and said, "I've been curious for a long time. What kind of treasure is this?"

This was the third time that Hongjun looked at the sword seriously. He said, "Qing Xiong said that if a treasure is used properly, even a powerless mortal can become an exorcist."

"That's true." Qiu Yongsi said, "Many exorcists don't have innate spiritual meridians. They can defeat their enemies with just a few treasures … Let me take a look at this sword."

This was the first time that Qiu Yongsi, Atay and Mo Rigen looked at Li Jinglong's sword so seriously. Li Jinglong said, "This sword seems to have a connection with Hongjun's flying dagger."

Hongjun took out the flying dagger from his fingers and tried to inject spiritual energy into it. The flying dagger lit up, and at the same time, the simple black sword also lit up.

"Oh!" Everyone was shocked.

Hongjun said, "When the flying dagger pierces a demon's body, it will be activated by demonic energy. Maybe this sword and the flying dagger are made of the same kind of metal?"

"Maybe." Qiu Yongsi murmured, "Let's make it shine a little brighter?"

The flying dagger resonated with the sword, and a line of words appeared on the sword, becoming brighter and brighter.

"This …" Qiu Yongsi looked up at Li Jinglong, then looked down at the sword.

Li Jinglong frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"

"How much did you buy this sword for?" Qiu Yongsi asked.

"Five hundred and fifty thousand taels." Li Jinglong answered.

"Five hundred and fifty thousand for one. Give me ten." Qiu Yongsi said with a smile and handed the sword back to Li Jinglong. He was the one who knew the most about treasures here. When Qiu Yongsi said this, everyone involuntarily stood up straight.

"What kind of treasure is this?" Li Jinglong asked.

"The Sword of Wisdom." Qiu Yongsi answered.

"What?!" The Carp Demon was shocked.

"You know about it?" Li Jinglong asked.

Carp Demon: "I don't know."

Li Jinglong: "…"

Carp Demon: "I just think that we need to be surprised at this time to set the atmosphere."

Everyone fell silent.