Pawn Crossing the River

Wugushanli, for Qi Xuansu, is not familiar, but not completely unfamiliar.

He came here once with Zhang Yuelu.

Wugushanli is controlled by a family named Ai. The ancestors of the Ai family are Western Semu Hu people with a long surname. They have been rooted in the Western Regions for many years. After intermarrying with the locals in the Western Regions, they were assimilated and took the surname of the Central Plains. The word "Ai" was taken from the first pronunciation of their original surname.

The city owner is a very young woman. Her name in the Central Plains is Ai Li. She has brown hair, a high nose and deep eyes, a tall figure, and a big frame. When Zhang Yuelu stood with her, she looked a little frail.

Qi Xuansu's impression of Ai Li is not only that, but also her accent, like a rich lady born in the Imperial Capital, not the owner of a remote Western Region city.

Wugushanli is quite lively and prosperous. Although it is not as good as Loulan, the largest city in the Western Region, and it cannot be compared with Yujing, it is not much different from many ordinary prefectures and counties in the Central Plains.

The city lord's mansion is located in the inner city. It used to be the palace of Wugoshanli Kingdom, so it occupies a large area and is decorated luxuriously. But now it belongs to the Ai family. It is not only the government office where the city lord handles various matters, but also the residence of the entire family.

This is Qi Xuansu's entire impression of Wugoshanli. The information about Wugoshanli in the Western Region Daofu and Tiangang Hall is quite lackluster - this is not surprising. When Zhang Yuelu went to Wugoshanli, there was not much information, and the guides were all found temporarily. To put it bluntly, Taoism does not attach importance to the Western Region. At least in the past hundred years, the decline of the Western Region is inevitable. The focus of Taoism naturally tends to the southeast and overseas. Where the interests are, the focus is there.

As for Beichen Hall, its ability is unquestionable, but the Western Region has always been the territory of Quanzhen Dao, so Beichen Hall did not play a big role.

At that time, Zhang Yuelu gave Ai Li a Taoist priest in exchange for Ai Li's help, and finally solved the tragic case of the Western monster killing the Taoist priests of Bishan Temple.

But now looking back, there are doubts everywhere. As the master of Wugoshanli, how could Ellie be completely unaware of it? After all, Diswen's resurrection is closely related to Siming Zhenjun. As the local city lord, how could she not know the existence of the behemoth Zhiming Sect? This is unreasonable.

Then Ellie's ignorance at the time was suspected of being a show. The biggest possibility is that either Ellie is a puppet of Zhiming Sect and has been completely controlled by Zhiming Sect, or Ellie is simply a member of Zhiming Sect.

Even the entire Ai family may be a member of Zhiming Sect.

The owner of the inn is named Xu Shide. It is said that his ancestors once worked for Xu Zu. The masters of Xidaomen at that time were Song Zheng and Tan Taiyun on the surface, but in fact Xu Zu was hiding behind the scenes and turning the tide. Song Zheng and Tan Taiyun were also supported by Xu Zu, but later Tan Taiyun and Xu Zu had a falling out.

As early as the time of Xu Zu, the Western Regions had already begun to operate, and Xu Zu had buried a large number of chess pieces here and gave them the surname Xu. However, after the shocking change in Kunlun, Xu Zu unexpectedly ascended to heaven, and these buried chess pieces had no place to use. Also because Xu Zu ascended to heaven too hastily, many things were not explained in time, and neither Xuansheng nor Xu Zu's disciples took over these people.

So these people took root in the Western Regions, married and had children, and reproduced.

In theory, people like Xu Shide should belong to the Taoist sect, but their files are unclear and their history is not clean. After Xuansheng rebuilt the Taoist sect, he naturally would not want them. So it was only a matter of time before they were entangled with the secret society.

According to Xu Shide, the main altar of Zhimingjiao was located in the former royal palace, which is now the city lord's mansion.

In this way, Qi Xuansu had to visit this "old acquaintance" again.

For ordinary people, the city lord's mansion may be considered heavily guarded. Considering the factors of Zhimingjiao, it can even be said to be a dragon's den and a tiger's lair, but for Qi Xuansu and his party, it was nothing. They came directly to the city lord's mansion without alarming anyone.

This is like using a butcher knife to kill a chicken.

The architectural style of the City Lord's Mansion still maintains the Western style of the Ai family's ancestors, but because the Ai family has been deeply Chinese, the decoration layout is very Chinese. Qi Xuansu sat in the main seat of the main hall, and then Xu Shide came forward to lead Ai Li over.

The reason why he didn't take action directly to capture her was mainly because he was afraid of alarming Siming Zhenjun. Maybe Siming Zhenjun was watching this place, or there were other prohibitive means. Qi Xuansu had experience and lessons in this regard. When he led his army to attack Lanyun Island, he triggered the prohibition and eventually attracted the He Luo God hidden in the Yin Moon.

Although the final result was a blessing in disguise, Qi Xuansu had a relationship with He Luo God, but it was impossible for it to be a blessing in disguise every time. Qi Xuansu didn't want to repeat the same mistake again.

After a while, Xu Shide led Ai Li over.

As soon as Ai Li entered the lobby, she said, "You are so brave that you dare to come back."

Xu Shide said, "Why wouldn't I dare to come back? Is this place a den of dragons and tigers?"

Ai Li said, "Although this place is not a den of dragons and tigers, it is not a place where you can come and go as you please. Since you are here, don't leave."

Xu Shide said, "Don't worry, let's see who this is?"

Lin Yuanmiao had cast a spell to cover up the traces of Qi Xuansu and his group. Now that he had cast the spell, he instantly appeared in front of Ai Li.

Aili was immediately startled and subconsciously wanted to escape from this place, but she found that this place had been isolated and she could not escape at all, and she could not transmit any information to the outside world.

"Don't waste your energy. Unless Siming Zhenjun takes action personally, it cannot be solved." Lin Yuanmiao's words were full of confidence, and Ai Li could not help but believe it.

Qi Xuansu said: "Lord Ai, do you still remember me?"

At this time, Qi Xuansu concealed his true appearance, so Ai Li naturally could not recognize him. She hesitated and said: "Forgive my poor eyesight, but I wonder who you are?"

Qi Xuansu said: "I have been watching forty-one years. Someone has visited Lord Ai. Don't you remember?"

Aili was slightly startled: "I have been watching forty-one years... Are you from the Taoist sect?"

"Yes." Qi Xuansu said, "At that time, Master Zhang gave Lord Ai a Taoist identity."

At this point, how could Ai Li not understand: "You, you are Master Qi?"

Qi Xuansu laughed: "You guessed right, I am Qi Xuansu. At that time, I was with Master Zhang and served as the Taoist priest of the Yaoguang Division of the Tiangang Hall. Lord Ai probably can't remember me."

Aili was shocked at first, and then smiled bitterly. Who would have thought that the inconspicuous seventh-grade Taoist priest would become a small headmaster who was feared by the Western Regions in the future?

Even if we don't talk about the special status of the young master, and only talk about the official position, how many steps are there from the seventh-rank Taoist priest to the head of the mansion?

Qi Xuansu said: "Since City Lord Ai is so good at guessing, then City Lord Ai should be able to guess my purpose."

Ai Li said slowly: "I heard that Master Qi ordered the elimination of the secret society forces in the Western Regions, so Master Qi came here for Master Siming."

Qi Xuansu said: "City Lord Ai doesn't want to tell me that you have no relationship with Master Siming? When I was investigating the matter of Diswen, City Lord Ai had already deceived me once. Is he trying to deceive me a second time?"

Ai Li glanced at Xu Shide and then gave up this futile behavior, but she did not surrender directly, but chose to remain silent.

Qi Xuansu did not speak.

Lin Yuanmiao took the initiative to step out: "Most of what I have learned in my life are unorthodox methods, and there are also a few ways to search other people's memories. If you are unwilling to cooperate, don't blame me for taking the initiative to take it."