48: Chapter 48: The Prefectural Guards' Inspection Leads to Internal Trouble

Jumping out the window to flee would only make him appear guilty and might invite even stricter pursuit.

Hiding would be too risky. The City Lord's Mansion search would surely involve Cultivators using their spiritual sense to probe, and an ordinary Qi Concealment Technique might not be enough to deceive them.

Only by facing them calmly could he find the best strategy.

Lin Ye took a deep breath to steady his emotions. He suppressed the aura of the ancient ring yuan sha and the starfall cold iron fragments to the extreme (the ancient ring could already autonomously hide most of its fluctuations), and then placed that dark red metal lump and other sensitive items into the deepest part of his Storage Pouch.

Then, he stood up, straightened his robes, put on an expression of just the right amount of confusion and a hint of unease, and went forward to open the door.

Outside the door stood three City Lord's Mansion guards clad in silver armor with stern auras. The leader was a scarred, burly man at Qi Refining Stage 8, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's, scanning Lin Ye.

"Name, background, when did you enter the city, and what is your purpose?" the scarred, burly man asked in a cold, unquestionable tone.

Lin Ye had already prepared his excuse and cupped his hands, saying, "I am Lin Han, a Loose Cultivator from the Southern Wilderness. I came to the Northern Underworld to hunt Yao Beasts and collect Spiritual Plants in exchange for Cultivation resources. I entered the city three days ago and am staying here temporarily."

"A Loose Cultivator from the Southern Wilderness?" The scarred, burly man scanned Lin Ye. With his Qi Refining Stage 5 (suppressed) cultivation base and dusty, travel-worn appearance, he certainly looked like an ordinary Loose Cultivator. However, he did not lower his guard. "Did you witness the incident yesterday where the remnants of the Black Ice Mercenary Group slandered the Xuanbing Pavilion in the street?"

"I was indeed at the market yesterday and saw from afar that someone was being taken away, but I am not clear on the specifics of the matter." Lin Ye answered flawlessly.

The scarred, burly man stared at Lin Ye for a few moments, then suddenly said, "Extend your right hand."

Lin Ye felt a slight tremor in his heart, but his expression remained unchanged as he extended his right hand as instructed.

The scarred, burly man took out a bronze mirror with an antique design and shone it over Lin Ye's right hand. The bronze mirror emitted a faint white light, sweeping across Lin Ye's palm and wrist.

Lin Ye knew this was to check for a Storage Ring or special storage Magical Artifact (such as the ancient ring). Fortunately, the ancient ring yuan sha, having been nourished by the starfall cold iron and undergone its own evolution, could now completely hide its form and most of its fluctuations, showing no reaction under the bronze mirror.

Seeing nothing unusual, the scarred, burly man put away the bronze mirror and asked again, "Have you ever had contact with anyone from the Black Ice Mercenary Group? Or have you seen anyone suspicious near Ice Wind Valley?"

"Never." Lin Ye shook his head. "My cultivation is low. Since entering the city, I have only been active in the market and the inn, and I have not yet been to Ice Wind Valley."

The scarred, burly man nodded, seemingly believing him for the most part. He waved his hand and said to the two guards behind him, "Search the room, be thorough."

The two guards responded and entered, searching the room carefully. They were skilled, rummaging through boxes and cabinets, and even tapping on the walls and floor to check for hidden compartments.

Lin Ye's mind raced. His Storage Pouch was hanging at his waist. It contained many things, but most were Yao Beast Materials, ordinary Medicinal Pills, Spirit Stones, and map Jade Slips. The only sensitive items were that dark red metal lump and the starfall cold iron fragments (which had no essence left, but the material was special). However, mixed among the numerous Materials, they might not be carefully identified.

As expected, one guard picked up the Storage Pouch, scanned it roughly with his spiritual sense, and seeing that it was all ordinary items, put it back.

The other guard checked the homemade bone sword Lin Ye had left at the head of the bed, found that it was just polished ordinary Yao Beast bone, and found nothing unusual.

"Boss, nothing found." A moment later, the two guards reported.

The scarred, burly man's gaze fell on Lin Ye's face again, and he suddenly asked, "Are you cultivating an ice-attribute Cultivation Technique?"

Lin Ye's heart tightened, but he remained calm on the surface. "Yes, by a stroke of luck, I obtained an incomplete ice-attribute Cultivation Technique and have been barely cultivating it until now."

The scarred, burly man nodded. In the Northern Underworld, there were many Loose Cultivators who cultivated ice-attribute Cultivation Techniques, so this was not strange.

He took one last look at Lin Ye, turned around, and said, "Let's go, to the next room."

The three guards filed out, their footsteps gradually fading away.

Lin Ye closed the door, leaned against it, and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

That was close.

The City Lord's Mansion's search seemed to be mainly targeting the Black Ice Mercenary Group and the potential remnants of the Yinkui Sect. He had handled it well and passed for now.

But the scarred, burly man's last question about his Cultivation Technique made him feel vaguely uneasy. Was it just a casual question, or did it imply something else?

He walked to the window, opened a small gap, and looked down.

He saw that on the street, the City Lord's Mansion guards were searching house by house, the atmosphere stern. From time to time, Cultivators were taken away for questioning, causing a commotion.

It seemed that the shouts of the Black Ice Mercenary Group members before they died (that the Xuanbing Pavilion was colluding with the Yinkui Sect) had indeed attracted the attention of the City Lord's Mansion. At the very least, they had to make a show of it.

Lin Ye pondered for a moment and decided to lie low for the time being.

Over the next few days, he stayed in and kept a low profile. Except for occasionally going to the market to buy necessities, he spent most of his time cultivating in his inn room, refining the dark red metal lump, and simultaneously studying the incomplete pages of the Starfall Ice Soul Sword.

The refining of the dark red metal lump went more smoothly than expected. The ancient ring yuan sha seemed equally eager for the yang-attribute metal essence, and its absorption speed was fast. As it was refined, the color of the ancient ring shifted from "dark star" to "dark red gold," and a hint of heat was added to the flowing galaxy on the ring's surface. Its internal space also expanded to two square feet, the nourishing power it fed back became thicker and purer, and it carried a trace of yang energy, which could better harmonize the cold ice Qi in his body, making the operation of the Ice Soul Sword Art even more seamless.

Lin Ye's cultivation was also steadily improving, advancing toward Qi Refining Stage 6.

On this day, while he was meditating, a commotion broke out downstairs again, appearing even more intense than the last time.

Immediately after, he heard the fawning and terrified voice of the balding innkeeper: "Young Master Murong, your visit brings great honor to my humble shop! I wonder what instructions you have, Young Master?"

Murong Bai? What is he doing at this remote inn?

Lin Ye's heart jolted. He immediately suppressed his aura and leaned close to the door crack to listen.

"Cut the nonsense! I ask you, three days ago, did a young Loose Cultivator with a tall and thin build, an ordinary face, a cultivation base of about Qi Refining Stage 5, and who practices an ice-attribute Cultivation Technique stay at this inn?" Murong Bai's voice was cold, carrying unquestionable authority.

"This... my shop has people coming and going every day, with many guests, I really cannot remember..." the balding innkeeper's voice trembled.

"Cannot remember? Then search room by room!" Murong Bai's tone was grim.

Footsteps sounded, and it seemed several people were coming upstairs, starting to search room by room.

Lin Ye's heart sank.

Murong Bai is looking for me? Why? Is it because of the Cold Abyss incident? No, I was well hidden at the time; he couldn't possibly have recognized me. Is it because I attracted attention when I mentioned practicing an ice-attribute Cultivation Technique during the City Lord's Mansion's search? Or... because of that dark red metal lump?

He suddenly remembered that when he bought the metal lump, that One-eyed Elder stall owner seemed to have looked at him a few extra times. Could that stall owner be an eye for Murong Bai or the Xuanbing Pavilion? Did the metal lump have some hidden secret that I managed to snatch, and the other party realized it afterward, following the trail to find me?

Regardless of the reason, trouble has come knocking.

Fight head-on? The other party is at least Qi Refining Stage 9 (possibly recovered or even advanced), and has followers; I have absolutely no chance of winning.

Escape? The inn has been surrounded, and jumping out the window will also be discovered.

I can only... take a gamble.

The footsteps grew closer and stopped at the room next door.

A hot-tempered, burly Loose Cultivator lived next door, who seemed very dissatisfied with the search and argued a few words, but was quickly suppressed.

Then, the footsteps stopped outside Lin Ye's door.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The knocking sounded, even more brutal than that of the City Lord's Mansion guards last time.

"Person inside, open the door! Xuanbing Pavilion search!" an arrogant voice shouted.

Lin Ye took a deep breath, forced a look of panic and unease onto his face, and went forward to open the door.

Outside the door stood three Xuanbing Pavilion Disciples. The leader had triangular eyes and was at Qi Refining Stage 7; he was one of Murong Bai's lackeys. Murong Bai himself had not come personally, perhaps presiding downstairs.

The triangular-eyed man looked Lin Ye up and down, his gaze sharp: "It's you? You bought a piece of red scrap iron from 'Old Ghost's' stall three days ago?"

It really was because of the metal lump!

Lin Ye understood, but pretended to be confused on the surface: "Red scrap iron? Oh, you mean that dark red metal lump? I did buy it; it looked curious, so I just bought it on a whim."

"Take it out!" the triangular-eyed man reached out his hand.

Lin Ye hesitated for a moment, then took the dark red metal lump out of his Storage Pouch (the ancient ring had absorbed the essence, but the appearance had not changed much), which was now much dimmer but still visibly dark red, and handed it over.

The triangular-eyed man took it, sensed it carefully, and frowned: "How come it feels... so much weaker? What did you do?"

Lin Ye's heart sank slightly; the other party could indeed sense the special nature of the metal lump. He said with a bitter face: "I... I tried to refine it with fire to see if it was a material, but... it seems I ruined it."

"Ruined it?!" the triangular-eyed man's voice raised, filled with anger. "Do you know what this thing is?!"

"I don't know... I really don't know, it just looked like a piece of material..." Lin Ye waved his hands repeatedly, appearing terrified.

The triangular-eyed man stared at Lin Ye for a few moments, seemingly judging the truth of his words. The metal lump's aura was weak, and it did indeed look like it had been ruined by clumsy methods. He snorted coldly: "Consider yourself lucky! We, the Xuanbing Pavilion, will take this thing. You, come with us; Senior Brother Murong wants to question you personally!"

As he said this, he reached out to grab Lin Ye's wrist.

Lin Ye's eyes turned slightly cold.

Go with him? Once in the territory of the Xuanbing Pavilion, his life or death would no longer be up to him.

It seems there is no way to resolve this peacefully.

Just as the triangular-eyed man's fingers were about to touch Lin Ye's wrist—

A sudden change occurred!

A huge explosion suddenly came from downstairs in the inn! Immediately followed by exclamations, screams, and the sounds of fighting!

"Enemy attack! Protect Senior Brother Murong!" the roar of a Xuanbing Pavilion Disciple came from downstairs.

The triangular-eyed man's expression changed, and he could no longer care about Lin Ye; he turned and rushed downstairs.

Lin Ye's heart stirred. Opportunity!

He did not hesitate, turned, and rushed toward the window, intending to break through it and escape.

However, just as he rushed to the window, the aftermath of the battle downstairs had already swept up, and a sharp Sword Qi actually pierced through the floor, shooting straight at his face!

Lin Ye dodged sideways in a hurry, the Sword Qi flying past his cheek and leaving a deep groove in the wall.

He looked down and saw that the lobby downstairs was already in chaos.

Murong Bai was engaged in a fierce battle with a mysterious person wearing a black robe, whose face was hidden under a hood!

The black-robed person's Moves were strange, their movement style elusive, and their palm wind carried an icy, bone-chilling aura. They were clearly also at Qi Refining Stage 9, and their Cultivation Technique style... was extremely similar to that of the Yinkui Sect!

And what made Lin Ye's pupils shrink even more was that behind the black-robed person, there were two other black-clad men with auras not weaker than the triangular-eyed man, who were fighting with the other Xuanbing Pavilion Disciples.

The Yinkui Sect had actually appeared in Frost Snow City and had directly attacked Murong Bai!

Inside the inn, blades flashed and swords shimmered, Spells roared, walls cracked, and tables and chairs were shattered.

Lin Ye was on the second floor, right in the center of the battle's aftermath!

With the Xuanbing Pavilion in front (who might pursue him later) and the Yinkui Sect below (attacking indiscriminately), the inn had become a living hell.