109: Chapter 103: The Identity of Master Yang!

109: Chapter 103: The Identity of Master Yang!

This guy…

why does he look like a ghost?

This was almost a simultaneous thought that popped into several of the masters’ minds, in broad daylight, all of them feeling a nameless discomfort in their hearts.

“Educator Lyu, what brings you to find us old fellows?” Master Yang said with a chuckle while eating meat, “Nowadays, we can’t add any achievements to the Educator’s record.”

“Indeed…” another master agreed, “And Educator Lyu has found the wrong people, too.

We are of limited ability and shallow learning, far inferior to those renowned masters on South Street, even if Lyuzhou Academy were to reopen, it wouldn’t be our turn.”

Facing the mockery, Lyu Yiqi didn’t seem to mind and, smiling, found a seat and sat down, “The masters speak too seriously.

After all, we worked together in the past and now we all come from a fallen Lyuzhou, why be so sharp?

At least it’s a kind of fate, isn’t it?”

The crowd furrowed their brows at these words; it’s said that one shouldn’t hit a smiling face.

After all, the other party was once a legitimate official of the Imperial Court, and now that he had humbled himself like this, it felt inappropriate to keep giving him a hard time.

Seeing their reaction, Lyu Yiqi’s smile became even gentler as he took out a wine pot and poured a cup for each person.

The wine wasn’t anything special, just the common glutinous rice yellow wine drunk by boatmen in Jiangnan, crudely brewed, but to the down-on-their-luck masters, the fragrance of the wine alone was soothing to the body.

Master Yang watched the other party closely, his eyebrows furrowed.

Although Lyu Yiqi appeared apologetic in demeanor and seemed sincere in his speech, the maliciousness in his brows was undeniable.

More so, there was a mysterious evil emanating from him, always leaving Master Yang feeling uneasy.

He took the cup from the other party suspiciously, and smelling the fragrance of the wine only heightened his unease!

Lyu Yiqi watched everyone with a smile that seemed eerily unsettling.

This Chen Qing really did provide opportunities, using mysterious bug meat as food, which actually gave him a chance.

As long as these masters had issues after eating, once the word got out, Lyuzhou would definitely be in chaos.

Then, they could emerge as officials and question the situation, seizing power over Lyuzhou from the sway of public opinion was not impossible.

Once Imperial Court reinforcements arrived and Chen Qing died in his cell, fearing punishment, all their wrongdoings could be blamed on him, right?

“Why aren’t the masters drinking?” Lyu Yiqi asked smilingly, “Is the wine too crude, not to your tastes?”

Continuing, he took a sip of his own, “Nowadays, I’m not so particular.

Please, masters, help yourselves.”

Seeing that he too took a sip, the crowd, although still uneasy, somewhat relaxed their guard.

As everyone finally picked up their cups, the smile at the corner of Lyu Yiqi’s mouth became even more pronounced.

The Lyu family…

actually belonged to a line of magicians.

They were not renowned; their lineage was of poison sorcerers, frowned upon in the magician’s community, and his great-grandfather also taught at the Yin Yang Academy.

Of course, he was not born a magician.

Being an illegitimate son with no talents, he could only pursue the path of imperial examinations or manage domestic affairs since childhood.

Even if he wasn’t born with magical aptitude, he was still trained before the age of talent evaluation.

Thousands of poisonous herbs and hundreds of poison formulas were things every Lyu family child had to master before the age of ten, and although he hadn’t used them in many years, he hadn’t forgotten them.

Just as everyone brought their cups to their lips, two vengeful spirits behind Lyu Yiqi also sneered ominously, filled with powerful resentment, as if ready to burst out and harm people at any moment.

Old Yang…

you must remember who you are!!

Just as Master Yang was about to drink, the memories of that night suddenly resurfaced, he trembled, and the cup fell to the ground!

The sudden action startled all the masters, who then put down their cups and looked quizzically at Master Yang, “What’s the matter with you?”

Lyu Yiqi was also taken aback, not understanding why the other party was causing trouble at this critical moment.

“The wine…

is poisoned!” Master Yang looked at the spilled cup, his expression somewhat dazed.

“This…” Everyone’s faces changed immediately, looking at Lyu Yiqi and then at Master Yang with suspicion.

“Master Yang…

You can eat just about anything, but you can’t speak recklessly!” Lyu Yiqi glared menacingly, “I, Lyu, have had the most to drink.

What?

Do you truly think my life’s worth so little that I would poison myself along with the masters?”

The people hesitated at this remark, which seemed reasonable.

Although they didn’t hold Lyu Yiqi in high regard, there was no prior grudge between them, and even if they had humiliated him that day, it wouldn’t warrant a death wish, right?

“Caudex, Cassia Seed, Red Cinnabar, Dead Baby Cart…

”

Master Yang ignored Lyu Yiqi’s query and suddenly started speaking enigmatic words that confused the listening masters, all except Cassia Seed which they barely understood.

But Lyu Yiqi looked at Master Yang as if he had seen a ghost!

These were the secret ingredients of the Lyu Family’s Ten Yin Powder, essential knowledge for clan members – a deadly poison that would kill within moments, and even gods could not save the victim.

But because the Lyu family members drank snake blood from an early age, they were immune, making this an ideal weapon for a sudden attack.

Moreover, once prepared, this formula was colorless and tasteless, undetectable even to the most skilled masters of poison, let alone in robust yellow wine.

This old man…

“So it seems…” Master Yang looked up at Lyu Yiqi, “You are from the Lyu family by the Black Water River in the Capital City!”

Lyu Yiqi stood up abruptly, staring intently at the other!

Even in the Capital City, there were few who could recognize his tail!!

“Who are you, really?”

This fellow was definitely not just an ordinary private school educator!

“Who am I, really?” Master Yang suddenly fell into confusion again, yes, who was he?

Why did he know all this?

He was puzzled too, feeling as if what he had just done was as simple as eating and drinking, something he recognized instinctively.

“Lyu Yiqi!!” When the educators saw Lyu Yiqi’s expression, they immediately realized that Master Yang’s words were no fabrication, and out of sudden fear, they stood up and pointed at him with grim faces, “Thief, what do you have against us?

Why be so vicious?”

With a bang, Lyu Yiqi utterly crushed the wine pot, shards slicing his hands and causing them to bleed profusely.

Yet Lyu Yiqi continued to fixate on Master Yang with an expression of shock at first, then a horrific, gruesome smile.

“Why must there always be someone to hinder me?

Chen Qing was like that, and now you, an old fool, must oppose me as well?”

At that moment, what nobody could see were two ghastly-looking vengeful spirits whispering into Lyu Yiqi’s ears, and the more they said, the more terrifying and fierce his expression became.

In broad daylight, he revealed a malevolence that even butchers couldn’t match, causing the educators to stumble backwards in fright!

In the next instant, Lyu Yiqi lunged at Master Yang, his movements…

they were eerily similar to those of a zombie outside the city!

“Fiends, cease your action!”

A voice like thunder suddenly rang out, and all the people saw was a flash of light; then in the next second, a man in white robe and silver armor, awe-inspiring and gleaming with bright light, appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Lyu Yiqi by the neck.

Lyu Yiqi let out a shrill scream that sounded distinctly like a woman’s hysterical shriek, startling the curious crowd that had gathered to retreat in fear.

This bright daylight, how could that scholar be so demonic?

In the next moment, two mangled and ghastly women with black cracks all over their bodies materialized, crouching on the ground like spiders, howling like wild beasts — a chilling sight that sent the onlookers scampering back.

“You who died wrongfully, the City God and the courts of the netherworld shall judge.

Daring to commit acts of violence on your own, will you not come with me to the underworld to accept your punishment?”

The two women, clearly maddened by resentment, growled like beasts before turning to flee, their crawling just like that of wild animals.

But under the bright sky, it was as if they were on a burning hot iron plate, their continuous screeching was unbearable to hear, and black smoke poured from the cracks in their skins.

“Where do you think you’re going!” Chen Ye, the Day Traveling God, bellowed with rage.

He had heard from the City God that capturing such an evil spirit was as valuable as detaining thirty unrestful souls — a big catch.

How could he let them escape?

However, after the departure of the vengeful spirits, Lyu Yiqi, who had just violently attacked others, collapsed on the ground like a man drained of strength, trembling all over.

His saliva and snot mingled, and even urine leaked out, looking utterly wretched — where was the vicious demeanor from before?

“What…

is going on here?”

As the crowd speculated, they saw that Gu Bei and his men had already arrived and were taking charge of Lyu Yiqi.

“Sir, what’s this all about?” asked one of the braver educators.

“I’m not sure either…” Gu Bei shook his head instantly, “The Prefectural Governor sent us to arrest Lyu Yiqi, allegedly upon the accusation of the former magistrate of Luling County, Gu Beiquan.

If the educators have any questions, they may accompany us to the tribunal and see how the Governor judges the case.”

Oh?

A trial is to be held?

The crowd immediately buzzed with excitement.

The sudden appearance of that flying immortal, as well as the two fleeing evil ghosts, not to mention Lyu Yiqi’s assault, were all juicy stories they were keen to unravel.

Now that the Prefectural Governor was presiding over the case, they were sure to hear many interesting details.

Without delay, the crowd followed Gu Bei and his men amidst a clamor to the Government Office…

Yet in the commotion, everyone temporarily forgot about Master Yang, who had first exposed Lyu Yiqi, and who had now disappeared without a trace.

—————————-

Meanwhile, on North Street, Master Yang hurried along, his face as unreadable as ever, mumbling to himself, seemingly unconcerned with Lyu Yiqi who had just attempted to poison him.

It was a good thing everyone’s attention was elsewhere; otherwise, a scholar mumbling to himself would certainly have attracted notice.

But someone did take notice of him.

As Master Yang hurried on, he was suddenly stopped by a figure.

Master Yang looked up, his expression startled — before him stood a stunningly beautiful woman, whose every move exuded enchantment, compelling even this man past his prime to swallow his saliva involuntarily.

“I was wondering who it could be…” the woman said languidly, her voice enthralling, giving Master Yang a jolt of surprise!

“It’s been a long time, Mister Five Poison!”