11: Chapter 11 Trouble

This couldn't help but make Li Xiuyuan speculate that the sacred tree must have appeared only a few days ago, perhaps at the same time as the ice flower on that cliff at Yunfeng Mountain.

However, although both belonged to the category of rare heavenly treasures, the effects of that ice flower were clearly completely different from this sacred tree.

The ice flower was a one-time item; after it bloomed, the spiritual energy of Yunfeng Mountain became much denser.

This sacred tree, however, could be used repeatedly.

Li Xiuyuan did not immediately return to Yunfeng Mountain. After placing the Mountain Wolf under the sacred tree, he rested on the side, wanting to see with his own eyes what changes the sacred tree would undergo next.

Two days passed, and the sacred tree grew several more meters taller, but what puzzled Li Xiuyuan was that all the green leaves on the branches fluttered and fell off, with no signs of growing back.

Before him remained only a bare trunk; although abundant spiritual energy was constantly radiating from the sacred tree, there was still not a hint of green to be seen.

The Mountain Wolf's injuries had healed. After recovering, it became even more respectful, not even daring to stay inside this cave, but instead keeping watch at the entrance.

...

...

Regarding the bloody case at Lin Family Village, the primary suspect was undoubtedly Boss Jin. Having caused such a huge incident, the consequences could be imagined to be severe.

Jin Shouyi was taken in for interrogation immediately. He could not withstand the pressure and admitted that he had hired the thugs himself, though he claimed he only wanted to scare the villagers and never intended to cause any loss of life.

However, this was all just his one-sided account; no one cared about his explanation.

What followed was a series of procedural steps, and then providing an account to the families.

"Captain Gu, why are you still standing here?"

Inside the interrogation room, Jin Shouyi had already been taken away, but Gu Xiao still stood there alone, his expression grave.

"He didn't finish his confession." Gu Xiao knew the secret of Yunfeng Mountain. This Jin Shouyi suddenly engaging in some development and renovation—the purpose was definitely not for tourism.

That storm of spiritual energy had turned Yunfeng Mountain into a natural cultivation site, a blessed land.

Gu Xiao had also carefully investigated; Jin Shouyi's physical condition was not optimistic. His desperate desire to take over Yunfeng Mountain was likely because he wanted to build a dojo in the mountains to recuperate.

It was unlikely that Jin Shouyi could achieve this on his own, as he had always been just a businessman and had never come into contact with cultivation.

In the twenty years since the awakening of spiritual energy, although there had been many changes in the world, ordinary people were still unable to perceive them.

Someone must be guiding Jin Shouyi from behind the scenes.

"Didn't finish? Then should we bring him back for another interrogation?" asked the young man behind him.

Gu Xiao shook his head. "No need, I'll go take a look."

After saying this, Gu Xiao walked out of the interrogation room. But before he could even reach the cell where Jin Shouyi was being held, he discovered three men in formal attire with unfamiliar faces actually taking Jin Shouyi outside.

Beside Jin Shouyi followed a calm-looking, thin middle-aged man wearing sunglasses.

"Wait, who are you?" Gu Xiao walked up, frowning, and blocked them.

At this moment, a mid-level leader came up to Gu Xiao. "Old Gu, these people were sent from above; they are here to take him away."

Gu Xiao keenly noticed that Jin Shouyi was not wearing any shackles, and his expression was quite relaxed, completely lacking the ashen look he had while confessing in the interrogation room earlier.

"Take him away? Why isn't he cuffed? Which department are you from?" Gu Xiao demanded, frowning.

A man in formal attire with a calm expression showed a trace of disdain in his eyes. He took out an ID card and handed it to Gu Xiao. "See for yourself."

Gu Xiao took the ID and looked at it. The card had the words "Mysterious Investigation Bureau" written on it, and below that was the man's name—no, to be precise, it was a codename—with no other information besides that.

Mysterious Investigation Bureau—Gu Xiao had an impression of this department. It was founded a few years ago and publicly claimed to investigate strange tales and anecdotes; its rank was not low.

This department didn't mean much to Gu Xiao, but he was currently executing a secret mission and could not let outsiders know his identity.

"Aren't you supposed to be investigating strange tales? Why are you taking him away? Also, who is he?"

Gu Xiao stared at the thin man with sunglasses as if interrogating him.

Mr. Lu smiled hypocritically and said, "It's not convenient for you to inquire about who I am. In any case, this Mr. Jin needs to leave now."

After saying this, the men in formal attire pushed past Gu Xiao and took Jin Shouyi away. Before leaving, Jin Shouyi looked at Gu Xiao with self-satisfaction, his eyes full of provocation.

Gu Xiao silently clenched his fists. He naturally knew that someone was deliberately protecting Jin Shouyi.

"Old Gu." Seeing that they had walked away, the leader beside him sighed and patted Gu Xiao on the shoulder. "We can't afford to provoke these people."

Gu Xiao looked at the leader, with whom he had a few years of friendship, and said, "Old Du, you should know the identity of that person with the sunglasses, right?"

"I know a little. His surname is Lu. It's said that he is some kind of Feng Shui master, and his geomancy skills are very powerful." Director Du nodded and then whispered a piece of advice: "Old Gu, don't blame me for being meddlesome, but don't get involved in certain things."

Director Du served as the chief of the Security Bureau in Jiangcheng. He didn't know much, but he was aware that the higher-ups had recently been in contact with some mysterious forces.

That man surnamed Lu, as well as this Mysterious Investigation Bureau, were not to be trifled with.

Gu Xiao had transferred to the Jiangcheng Security Bureau a few years ago. Although he hadn't been there long, he had developed a good relationship with Director Du.

Therefore, he didn't want Gu Xiao to offend people he couldn't afford to provoke.

"I know, Old Du." Gu Xiao looked at Director Du with a deep gaze. The latter initially thought Gu Xiao was being sensible, but upon further thought, something felt off about that statement.

Soon, Director Du learned from Gu Xiao about many transcendental things that he could not understand and that were completely beyond his imagination.

Especially upon learning that Gu Xiao came from a mysterious organization, and that this organization was independent of any power structure and stood above all power structures, Director Du only felt it was somewhat absurd.

"Old Gu, stop teasing me." Director Du smiled unnaturally, but his entire expression remained somewhat stiff.

"Do you think I look like I'm joking?"

"These things were originally supposed to be kept from ordinary people, but now, the world is changing rapidly, and many strange tales are unfolding one after another all over the world; it's already hard to keep them hidden."

"Do you remember the Dragon Fall incident that we heard two young people chatting about behind our backs when we were eating at the cafeteria last time?" Gu Xiao asked.

Director Du nodded slowly, his expression gradually becoming grave. "I remember."

"Is… is it real?"

He swallowed hard, looking at Gu Xiao in disbelief.

Gu Xiao said, "Half true, half false. Something did indeed fall from the sky, but it wasn't a dragon; it was another kind of creature."