Their return to Maple City couldn’t have come at a better timing. Shortly after Coffin Man and Old Turtle arrived at Maple City, Lin Jin returned from the capital on eagle so both parties ran into each other on their way back to the mansion.
At the sight of Coffin Man and Old Turtle, Lin Jin came to a realization that too many things had happened recently that he had forgotten about Old Coffin. Indeed, it was he who got Madam Ghost Child to inform Coffin Man to come over and pick up Zombie Cthulhu.
However, Coffin Man and Old Turtle were on their knees the next instant.
“Appraiser Lin, we’ve been too incompetent…”
Several moments passed.
An eagle’s cries could be heard above the skies of Maple City. Lin Jin apathetically left for Reed City on his eagle.
Feeling anxious, Lin Jin invoked a spell to increase the eagle’s physical size by one fold so its flying speed would increase as well.
At the moment, Lin Jin didn’t have the leisure to care for anything else.
Coffin Man and Old Turtle told Lin Jin everything they knew. Lin Jin learned that White Ape had fought a Daluo Temple monk and was currently missing in action and that Shang’er had lost a battle with the senior exorcist rector of Daluo Temple. They told him that her body was buried under Mount Long Pass.
One could only imagine Lin Jin’s mood the instant he heard the news.
Lin Jin had a good temper, but the more pleasant a person was, the more unforgivable they were when they lost their nerve.
“Daluo Temple, if anything serious had really happened to Shang’er and White Ape, I will definitely crush your sect and flatten your establishment.” Lin Jin felt unprecedented anger. He was far angrier than when he dealt with Yang Qingshi.
Yang Qingshi may have harmed the innocent but they weren’t Lin Jin’s acquaintances. This time, the victims were Shang’er and White Ape, both of whom were disciples that Lin Jin had acknowledged.
With the enhancement in place, the eagle beast sped forward like a bolt of lightning, allowing Lin Jin to reach Reed City’s borders in just one hour.
The situation was so urgent that he let the eagle stop above the Qiao Manor where he jumped and landed within their walls.
There were some things Lin Jin had to ask the Qiao family.
Qiao Feigong emerged from a building the moment he heard news of Lin Jin’s arrival. At first, he was stunned but it wasn’t long before he hurried over to salute him. Simultaneously, Goldy bounced out of the courtyard.
At the sight of Lin Jin, he clucked before flying into the man’s arms.
“Appraiser Lin, you’re finally here.”
Qiao Feigong had been worried for the past two days. He had heard about the incident at Mount Long Pass and even sent someone to investigate the site. It was said that Mount Long Pass City was reduced to a crater that about a hundred feet deep and a thousand feet wide was the result of the clash between Shang’er and the rector.
This incident had exceeded common sense so it was no wonder the Qiao family was so worried.
Lin Jin knew they weren’t at fault so he just wanted to inquire what happened that day. Subsequently, Qiao Feigong told Lin Jin every little detail he knew about what happened that day.
Combining what he learned from Coffin Man and Old Turtle, Lin Jin had a rough idea of what went down here.
“So right after White Ape was lured away by a Daluo Temple monk, the thieves showed up to rob the Qiao family of their treasure.” Lin Jin knew that both incidents must be somehow linked.
However, he didn’t know the details behind it nor did he want to make wild speculations.
He glanced at Qiao Feigong and then said, “Lord Qiao, since your treasure has been robbed, your family should be safe now.”
This was a fact.
“Right? Had I known this earlier, I should have just given those thieves what they wanted. Sigh, to think that many lost their lives because of our stubbornness! What a sin this is! But it’s also a good thing now that we have peace again. I only wish that everything will be peaceful from now on and we wouldn’t come across any more troubles.” Qiao Feigong was truly frightened by this whole ordeal.
Lin Jin nodded. He didn’t plan on telling Qiao Feigong what he would do next in fear of scaring him.
Now, it seemed like Daluo Temple had an uncertain connection to the demonic appraisers. Otherwise, why else would they help the latter with their mission?
Also, no matter the reason, since Daluo Temple had dared to lay their hands on White Ape and Shang’er, Lin Jin would never let them off the hook. Even if it meant disturbing nature or stirring up a rain of blood, Lin Jin would make them pay.
“Lord Qiao, I have something else to attend to so I will not disturb you any longer.”
Having said that, Lin Jin leaped onto a cloud step made his way up to his eagle’s back. Before charging forward to Mount Long Pass, the eagle let out a loud cry, as if it were bidding the Qiao family farewell.
The wind whistled around them, and from Lin Jin’s grim appearance, Goldy felt traces of murderous intent. The usually lively rooster somehow decided to behave himself today.
It only took moments for an eagle to travel from Reed City to Mount Long Pass.
In fact, from the sky, they could already see that harrowing crater on the distant horizon.
Lin Jin’s heart thumped madly at the sight.
Just what kind of technique or supernatural powers could cause such damage? The fact that the earth was split indicated the sheer intensity of the battle that had taken place here a few days ago.
Jumping down from the sky, Lin Jin landed at the border of the deep crater.
At the same time, there was another group of people standing beside the crater as well.
There were soldiers and guards, but most of them were dressed like government officials. Among them was a domineering figure carrying an air of arrogance.
Before Lin Jin had descended, the group already noticed the eagle beast speeding over. Whether you were in the Jade Dragon Kingdom or some other country, eagles were expensive creatures that only aristocrats were capable of affording. Hence, Lin Jin’s arrival caught their attention almost immediately. Though, they were visibly disappointed to see a young man getting off the eagle.
“City Lord Wang, is that a citizen of Reed City?” Among the group, that domineering middle-aged man asked with a frown.
The man who he was talking to was Reed City’s city lord, Wang Yuanqiao. In his company was the chief of the Iron Feather Troops, as well as a fellow guardian of the nation, Chen Ruyuan.
Due to his important status and notable background, even City Lord Wang Yuanqiao had to be mindful of his words and behavior before Chen Ruyuan.
Wang Yuanqiao caught a glimpse of Lin Jin before shaking his head. “Chief Chen, I’ve never seen that person before so he shouldn’t be someone from Reed City.”
“Oh!” Chen Ruyuan nodded silently. However, it was obvious that the great chief was displeased, probably annoyed by how rude the newcomer was.
Had any normal citizen shown up so abruptly, it would have offended any government official.
If they were an aristocrat, this meant blatant disrespect to Chen Ruyuan because they didn’t greet the military chief, so this was unacceptable either.
Wang Yuanqiao could tell so he turned around to give his subordinate the necessary instructions. The steward of his city lord manor immediately hurried over.
“Who are you? The military has cordoned off the area so if you’re a commoner, leave at once! If you’re a state official, please state your identity,” the steward announced.
Lin Jin obviously didn’t have the mind to pay him at a time like this.
Forget the steward of a mere city lord, even if He Qian was here, Lin Jin wouldn’t give him the time of day.
That was because Lin Jin sensed very faint monster energy coming from below.
This was a huge discovery.
Thus, Lin Jin moved and jumped down from the border.
“Don’t…” The steward was shocked and quickly commanded his pet beast to stop the man. However, he soon realized that no matter what he did, his companion wouldn’t budge as if it had been paralyzed on the spot.
In the blink of an eye, Lin Jin had already leaped into the bottom of the crater, disappearing in a few jumps.
“City Lord, that person…”
“I saw it,” said the City Lord.
Wang Yuanqiao had managed to catch a glimpse of the beast ring sleeve guard Lin Jin was wearing the instant he jumped.
It was a three-ringed sleeve guard.
