At this point, Lu Yang had no idea that Lan Ting had negotiated a massive deal. Using an Invisibility Talisman and concealment techniques, he was tailing the bailiffs in search of Reverse Lifespan Talismans.
The three of them had split up, taking separate routes to discover as many locations of the Reverse Lifespan Talismans as possible.
It was clear that the local authorities placed immense importance on these talismans. They had mobilized nearly their entire force, intent on turning Yanjiang Commandery upside down.
The authorities began by collecting reports on where citizens were most prone to feeling fatigued and drowsy, dividing the territory into zones to conduct their search.
Chief Constable Fang Qingyun went so far as to manifest two avatars. Spreading their divine sense, his true body and the two avatars led large contingents of men to scour the city for the talismans.
Fang Qingyun's cultivation was far too high, so Lu Yang and his companions dared not follow him.
Before long, a bailiff found a Reverse Lifespan Talisman. Hiding in the shadows, Lu Yang quietly noted its location.
By evening, the three regrouped, pulled out a map of Yanjiang Commandery, and marked the spots where the Reverse Lifespan Talismans had been discovered.
"One at Great Stone Bridge, one at the rouge shop on Front Gate Street, one at a pawnshop... That makes six Reverse Lifespan Talismans found so far."
"With so little information, we can't be sure whether they're laid out according to the Reverse Lifespan Formation. Let's see what turns up tomorrow."
When the three returned to the barbecue shop, they found Lan Ting wearing a tofu mask, absorbed in refining an automated skewer-grilling formation.
Skewers hovered above a table, roasting under intense heat.
Two chang ghosts knelt on the floor, sniffling and weeping tears of profound gratitude toward Lan Ting for saving them from the endless torment of grilling.
Lu Yang's head filled with question marks. They had been gone for less than an afternoon—what on earth had happened?
"Where did you get that mask?"
Lan Ting said with a touch of pride, "Oh, the proprietress of the tofu shop you rescued last night brought it over. She also said she wants to run a joint promotion with our barbecue shop during the Spring-Plucking Festival."
"This is the event proposal the two of us drafted together."
"While helping out yesterday, I noticed there were only two chang ghosts grilling. It was far too slow, and some customers grew impatient. So, I designed this automated barbecue formation, which has drastically improved efficiency."
"An automated barbecue formation has never existed before; it's a true innovation! When I return to the Immortal Palace, I can exchange this for contribution points."
"The formation is simple, too. Perhaps it can even be popularized on a large scale in the future."
Like the Dao Seeking Sect, the Moon Laurel Immortal Palace had similar long-term missions.
Lu Yang: "..."
It seemed the rapid expansion of their barbecue shop was truly unstoppable.
Meng Jingzhou grinned and picked up a tofu mask. "This tofu mask actually looks pretty neat. Here, one for each of us. Lu Yang, take a look—this tofu mask suits you so well, you two look practically identical!"
Lu Yang looked at the square tofu mask and rolled his eyes. Choosing not to lower himself to the level of a fool, he accepted it.
Lan Ting added, "I've also set up a Spirit Gathering Formation, a Soundproofing Formation, and several other formations on the second floor to make cultivation more convenient."
This was the only piece of good news Lu Yang had heard since stepping into the shop. "That must have cost a fortune. Setting up formations takes quite a few spirit stones, doesn't it? Tally up the cost, and the three of us will cover it."
Lan Ting waved her hand dismissively. "It hardly took any spirit stones at all. Just pocket change."
Meng Jingzhou snapped his head up, eyeing Lan Ting with deep wariness. For the first time in his life, he had met a rival in the art of flaunting wealth.
Lan Ting's presence made life considerably more comfortable for the trio, allowing them to focus entirely on searching for talismans during the day.
Over the next ten days, Lu Yang and his companions pinpointed the locations of more than two hundred talismans, which aligned perfectly with the nodes of the Reverse Lifespan Formation.
Having deduced the pattern, they checked other corresponding nodes and indeed found Reverse Lifespan Talismans there as well.
"What should we do? Should we tell Constable Wei?" Meng Jingzhou asked.
Lu Yang found himself in a dilemma. If they told Constable Wei the locations, Wei's superiors would inevitably realize someone was secretly assisting them. Once Branch Master Chu caught wind of it, suspicion might easily fall on the three of them.
Yet if they didn't report it, leaving those Reverse Lifespan Talismans plastered all over Yanjiang Commandery remained a grave hidden danger.
"Waiter! Bring two hundred lamb skewers and two hundred beef skewers!" a boisterous voice bellowed, loud enough to be heard clearly even by the chang ghosts in the backyard.
Under normal circumstances, the sheer volume of such an order would have scared them out of their wits.
Now, however, thanks to the automated grilling formation, their workload had dropped drastically. Never mind two hundred lamb and beef skewers—even if another two hundred pork skewers were ordered, they wouldn't break a sweat!
"And another two hundred pork skewers!" the booming voice continued to roar. Clearly, this customer had deep pockets.
Lu Yang narrowed his eyes, finding the voice somewhat familiar. "It's Yi Zhanghong, the one who took part in the recruit selection! And the two men behind him are also at the Foundation Establishment stage, just like him."
None of the three had passed the selection.
"Will they recognize us?" Man Gu asked. The three of them had, after all, posed as examiners and thoroughly swindled Yi Zhanghong.
Lu Yang shook his head. "No. The Branch Master said that to preserve the branch's secrecy, headquarters wiped the memories of everyone who failed the selection. They won't remember a thing about it."
Seeing that no one had come out to attend to him, Yi Zhanghong yelled in a rough voice, "Where is everybody? Are you deaf?!"
"Coming, coming! What can I get for you, honored guest?" Lu Yang trotted out with a welcoming smile.
Yi Zhanghong was overbearing and rude. "Two hundred skewers each of pork, beef, and lamb! Bring out whatever else you recommend. Grandpa heard the food here was good, which is why I came. If it tastes terrible, see if I don't smash your shop to pieces!"
Evidently, he had not recognized Lu Yang. Had he recognized him, he would have smashed the place on the spot.
Lu Yang greeted him with obsequious nods and bows. "Rest easy, honored guest. Our skewers are so delicious they'll make you want to eat them for the rest of your life."
Yi Zhanghong let out a cold snort and ignored Lu Yang.
His two companions also squinted at him, too disdainful to speak a single word to a mere waiter.
Lu Yang sent a voice transmission to Meng Jingzhou: *Inform Constable Wei. Tell him there are three Foundation Establishment rogue demonic cultivators here, and have him bring men to arrest them.*
These rogue demonic cultivators had slaughtered countless innocents; under the penal code, they deserved to be executed multiple times over. Lu Yang certainly had no intention of being merciful.
*Time to show you the true methods of the demonic path—reporting you to the authorities!*
Meng Jingzhou blinked, transmitting back: *We don't have any evidence. How can we prove they're Foundation Establishment rogue demonic cultivators? Will Constable Wei believe us?*
Lu Yang sneered internally. *Why wouldn't he? Just say we noticed talismans on them that seem to induce sleepiness.*
Meng Jingzhou caught on immediately. They had several Reverse Lifespan Talismans on hand—perfect for planting on them.
"Got it. I'll be right back." Meng Jingzhou trotted out the door.
When Constable Wei heard that three Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators had appeared and were suspected of carrying Reverse Lifespan Talismans, he knew this was no small matter and promptly reported it to Fang Qingyun.
Without a moment's hesitation, Fang Qingyun mobilized a large detachment to surround the trio.
Regardless of whether they possessed Reverse Lifespan Talismans, capturing three Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators alone fully justified such a deployment.
Fang Qingyun arrived at the barbecue shop and unleashed his Golden Core stage spiritual pressure, pinning Yi Zhanghong and his two companions completely in place. With a sweeping wave of his hand, he commanded with absolute authority, "Subdue them! Search them!"
Before Yi Zhanghong and the others could even comprehend what was happening, several Foundation Establishment constables pounced, wrestling them to the ground.
*What is going on? Is eating skewers a crime in your Yanjiang Commandery?!*
Moments later, Constable Wei found a massive stash of Reverse Lifespan Talismans on Yi Zhanghong's person—vastly more than the few Lu Yang had intended to plant.
"It truly was you people setting up the Reverse Lifespan Formation!" Fang Qingyun glared with utter hatred at Yi Zhanghong. It was entirely because of this bastard that he hadn't had a single moment of rest over the past few days.
Lu Yang: "..."
Meng Jingzhou: "..."
*Wait, did you really have to be this cooperative?*
Yi Zhanghong and his two companions were left utterly bewildered. They had executed their operation flawlessly without leaving a single trace behind. Why on earth had the constables come barging in to arrest them?
Where had it all gone wrong?
Chapter 89