61: guess

Luo Zhong didn't need to lead the way; this was Lu Ming's third time coming to the inner hall, so he was quite familiar with it.

As Zhao Bufan's private residence, the inner hall, despite being located within the Demon Suppression Division, was not a place where idle people could easily enter or exit.

For many Demon Slayer Guards who had spent several, even dozens, of years in the Demon Suppression Division, they had never set foot here, which showed how much Zhao Bufan valued Lu Ming.

When Lu Ming arrived, he happened to see Cheng Yuanwu hurrying out. The latter seemed to have an urgent matter to attend to, so he merely nodded to Lu Ming in greeting before quickly departing.

Inside the inner hall, Zhao Bufan sat calmly in the main seat, sipping tea. Upon seeing Lu Ming, a smile appeared on his face.

"You're here, have a seat," Zhao Bufan greeted.

Lu Ming walked over and sat on a nearby chair. As Zhao Bufan poured tea, he couldn't help but ask, "Uncle Zhao, what is it that you called me for? Is it related to the Martial Artist who came from the back mountain cliff earlier?"

"It is related, but it's not the entire reason I called you," Zhao Bufan said calmly, not hiding anything.

"Based on the information you extracted from that assassin, I sent people to investigate and found something very interesting: the Jianghu School Hundred Weapons Sect has been quite active near Lianbo City recently, so..."

Lu Ming suddenly understood; he immediately grasped the implied meaning.

"Uncle Zhao, are you saying these matters are related to the Hundred Weapons Sect, or that they are secretly colluding with demons, with the aim of targeting Princess Qingyang, who is coming to Lianbo City?"

With Zhao Bufan's hint, Lu Ming immediately connected many dots.

As Lu Ming succinctly stated the connections, a hint of admiration appeared in Zhao Bufan's eyes.

"Exactly, that's what I was thinking. Do you remember Liu Tongzheng, the steward of the City Lord's Mansion, who was arrested from Xiao Wang Village that day? The clerks in the Demon Suppression Division worked overtime to interrogate him, but who knew he died in prison that very night? It was found that his dinner had been poisoned."

Hearing this, Lu Ming's eyes narrowed slightly, and he immediately realized something.

"There's a mole in the Demon Suppression Division!"

This almost confirmed thought sent a chill down Lu Ming's spine. One must know that anyone joining the Demon Suppression Division, regardless of their position, underwent meticulous vetting, and most had already settled down in Lianbo City.

Since that hidden individual could poison the prison food, it meant he could do other things.

"After investigation, it was discovered to be a cook from the kitchen. By the time I personally led my men to his home, all six members of his family, old and young, had been brutally murdered," Zhao Bufan sighed, a hint of melancholy in his eyes.

Lu Ming remained silent. Evidently, Zhao Bufan had strictly sealed this news; otherwise, it would have been impossible for no rumors to have spread within the Demon Suppression Division after so many days.

Although he didn't know what the Hundred Weapons Sect intended to do, it was certainly a significant plot.

"Since it has been determined that the Hundred Weapons Sect is responsible, can we take action?" Lu Ming asked.

During his conversations with Luo Zhong these past few days, he had a good understanding of the current situation in Yun Province and knew that the Hundred Weapons Sect was a large School with over ten thousand Disciples. But no matter how large, how could it be larger than the imperial court?

"We haven't found any crucial evidence, so naturally, we can't act rashly. You should also know that the Hundred Weapons Sect, as a local School, has existed for over a thousand years. If the Demon Suppression Division were to act forcefully, it would inevitably make other forces wary and could even lead to an uncontrollable situation," Zhao Bufan explained.

As the head of the Lianbo City Demon Suppression Division, he had risen to this position step by step through his merits. Besides possessing extraordinary strength, it was also because he was well-versed in worldly affairs and understood the pros and cons.

Moreover, even if he wanted to, his power was insufficient to achieve it. After all, there were many Extremity Realm martial artists in the Hundred Weapons Sect, and even Dao Realm experts overseeing it.

"Uncle Zhao, you didn't just call me here to talk about these things, did you?"

Lu Ming naturally wouldn't think Zhao Bufan was looking for him to complain. Explaining all this was probably to prepare him for something.

"Of course. I called you here because there's an Opportunity before you; it just depends on how you choose," Zhao Bufan said with a smile.

After a pause, he continued, "Princess Qingyang came to Lianbo City, this remote little town, merely to fulfill a vow. Now that the matter is concluded, the entourage will naturally return to Yun Province City. The Demon Suppression Division will also send people to assist, with ten Martial Artists of good Aptitude and further potential accompanying them."

"These ten people will be affiliated with the local Demon Suppression Division after going to the Prefecture City, so I specifically reserved a spot for you. It's up to your choice whether to go or stay."

Hearing this, Lu Ming's eyes narrowed slightly, but he quickly fell into thought.

Going to Yun Province City would undoubtedly lead to a better career path, and in the local Demon Suppression Division, he would also have access to more martial arts Secret Manuals, continuously improving his own strength.

However, Lu Ming knew that the path to Yun Province City would likely not be smooth. After all, Zhao Bufan hadn't mentioned this matter first upon meeting, but instead revealed the possibility of the Hundred Weapons Sect colluding with demons and acting in secret, which already conveyed a lot of information.

The Hundred Weapons Sect's forces were very likely to obstruct them on the journey, and as a member of the four major Schools in Yun Province, one could imagine how terrifying its foundation was.

"You don't need to be overly apprehensive. After all, Yun Province is still the imperial court's Yun Province, not the Hundred Weapons Sect's. Even if there's danger on the way, they won't act openly. There are both dangers and opportunities in this, and more importantly, you have already caught the Dharma Eye of the Qingyang Royal Mansion. Going to Yun Province will certainly lead to better development prospects."

Zhao Bufan advised him. From an elder's perspective, he hoped Lu Ming would seize this Opportunity.

After all, not everyone could climb the high branch of the Qingyang Royal Mansion.

Seeing that Lu Ming was still unmoved, he showed a helpless expression and then said, "Princess Nanping mentioned something to me on the way. I didn't expect you, kid, to be someone who doesn't show his hand until he sees the rabbit. Princess Nanping said that the Cultivation Technique you have has a matching martial art. If you escort the convoy, it will be yours."

Upon hearing the words "Princess Nanping," Lu Ming was stunned for a moment before realizing.

Luo Hongzhuang's stunning face with a hint of cunning appeared in his mind. After hearing about the matching martial art, Lu Ming immediately realized the problem with his Cultivation Technique, which made it difficult to progress beyond the seventh layer.

"In that case, I'll go," Lu Ming decided decisively.

In the short term, a Mystic-Rank Cultivation Method was already the limit he could reach, and the fastest way to obtain it now was undoubtedly through the Qingyang Royal Mansion's channels.