Chapter 67: The Deputy Minister of the Imperial Court of Justice-Immortal Tang Dynasty of Prosperity(Forgot to eat the sesame pancake.)

Without a moment’s hesitation, Lu Xin pushed against the tide of fleeing people and ran directly toward the girl. The blaze was monstrous in size and spreading with a speed he had never seen before. Fortunately, Lu Xin’s agility was exceptional. After a few moments, he ran up a wall and vaulted onto the roof, then swiftly dropped down at the corner.

The little girl had her head covered, her voice already hoarse from crying. Lu Xin hurriedly reassured her, “Don’t be afraid,” and just as he reached out to gather her up, a young girl in a pink wide-sleeved blouse suddenly darted out and snatched the little one away, eyeing Lu Xin with the utmost caution.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

“I’m here to save her. Are you… her mother?”

“Hmph, what a thing to say. I’m only twelve and not yet married—how could I have children?”

Hearing Lu Xin’s words, the girl’s expression darkened further. But the fire was already licking at the corner, and Lu Xin had no time for bickering. He paid the girl’s feelings no mind, scooped her up by the waist, and snatched the little girl into his arms at the same time. The young lady immediately shrieked in protest, flailing and kicking with all her might.

“If you want to die, I’ll put you down,” Lu Xin said coldly, glancing back. The girl looked down and saw the ground below was already glowing red from the flames. She immediately fell silent, and before she knew it, she was flying onto the rooftop. With a few leaps, they were outside the West Market’s boundaries. After setting them down, Lu Xin hesitated, debating whether to go back in search of his master, Li Chunfeng. But the young lady beside him burst out in excitement.

“So you know martial arts! Teach me! Please, teach me!”

Having just escaped the inferno, any ordinary person would be trembling in shock, but not this girl. She clung to Lu Xin’s arm, pestering him incessantly to learn martial arts. Lu Xin turned to look at her; the little girl was still sitting on the ground, crying her heart out, while the young lady’s face was alight with joy, her eyes practically sparkling.

Only now did Lu Xin get a clear look at her. She was about five foot three, with a delicate oval face, a high nose bridge, and lively, round eyes full of mischief. Her face was heavily powdered and rouged, yet it could not hide her youthful innocence. It was obvious at a glance that she was still very young, likely a young miss from a wealthy family.

“Hey, why aren’t you saying anything? Teach me martial arts! I’ll pay you handsomely!” the girl insisted, noticing his silence. She quickly pulled a large piece of silver from the pouch at her waist—it was nearly as big as half her hand. Having run a tea business for years, Lu Xin knew the value of such silver well.

“You’re quite a wealthy little thing. But I have no time to play with you now. Look after this child and stay away from the night market,” he said.

“Who are you calling ‘little thing’? My name is Qian Xiaoyue—the famous Qian Xiaoyue of the capital! Don’t you forget it!” The girl bit her lip in frustration, stamping her foot. But by then, Lu Xin had already dashed back through the North Gate of the West Market, vanishing into the chaos.

The fire, spreading from East Street in all directions, had already engulfed more than half the West Market. The Yongzhou Prefecture, responsible for the capital’s security, had dispatched a large number of officers and constables to fetch water and fight the flames, but it was a drop in the bucket. Still, the officials of Yongzhou were not without talent; seeing they could not extinguish the blaze at once, they decisively ordered a firebreak along the central avenue, protecting the entirety of West Avenue and most of South Street.

By this time, almost half the visitors had already fled the West Market. Lu Xin leapt to the highest rooftop, scanning the crowd, but there was still no sign of Li Chunfeng. Looking toward East Street, where the fire was fiercest, he saw a sea of flames raging through half the market, consuming all in their path. Even at such a height, he could feel waves of heat washing over him.

“This fire—unless a master intervenes, it’ll burn for days and nights,” he thought.

Lu Xin had never imagined that on his very first night in Chang’an, he would be caught in such calamity. By rights, the city’s commerce was unrivaled in the world. Both the East and West Markets had well-established rules among merchants and strict oversight from the court. Take tonight for example: the Yongzhou Prefecture had already assigned hundreds of officials and constables to keep order throughout the West Market. All fireworks were heavily guarded, and only imperial envoys were permitted to light them.

This was the imperial capital, beneath the Son of Heaven’s feet, and in such a critical place as the West Market. If someone had simply dropped a lantern and started a small fire, it would be understandable. But for such a massive blaze to erupt in an instant—something was amiss. Lu Xin suspected there was a hidden hand at work, seeking to plunge the capital into chaos.

He recalled the words Zhao Li had spoken to him upon his arrival in Chang’an, and a chill crept into his heart.

“Assistant Minister Wei Qing of the Court of Judicial Review, investigating under imperial order—stop right there!”

“Hmph, a mere assistant minister courting death!”

Just as Lu Xin was growing anxious over Li Chunfeng’s whereabouts, a commotion erupted on the rooftops above the central avenue. He looked up to see a young man in official robes, sword in hand, chasing a black-clad figure. The two raced across the rooftops for several moments before the man in black stopped and let out a cold laugh.

“Master of the Netherworld Path, with the Mandate of Water and Fire—kill!”

The black-clad man pulled a talisman from his chest, chanting an incantation. The talisman flew at the assistant minister, transforming in the wind into a gigantic skull that snapped its jaws at him. The young official did not retreat. With a sweep of his sword, he sent out a powerful gust that instantly shattered the skull. As it vanished, thick black smoke poured from the surrounding space, like some kind of noxious gas. The young man dodged nimbly, then flashed behind the black-clad man in a blink.

“Who are you, and how do you know the dark arts of the Netherworld Sect?” he demanded.

“Hahaha, so you have some discernment. But you’re just a mortal—why stick your nose where it doesn’t belong?”

Though the sword tip pressed against his back, the man in black laughed wildly. As his voice faded, he suddenly swapped places with the young official. Lu Xin watched in alarm; with his own cultivation, he couldn’t even discern how the switch was done.

Fortunately, the assistant minister was highly skilled and reacted swiftly, tumbling away in a somersault. The black-clad man, his attack foiled, sheathed his dagger and continued his escape.

“This man’s martial arts are extraordinary! He’s fighting an onmyoji to a standstill!” Lu Xin thought, dropping from the rooftop and giving chase in the direction the black-clad man had fled. He was somewhat shocked—the assistant minister’s skills seemed superior even to his own. But given the black-clad man’s actions, even if he hadn’t started the fire, he was certainly up to no good. Lu Xin decided to help the official from the Court of Judicial Review and, at the same time, test his own strength after reaching the Illusory Void level.

Ever since condensing Daoist True Fire, Lu Xin had followed Li Chunfeng to Chang’an but hadn’t had a chance to act. Now was his perfect opportunity.

The black-clad man fled south, clearly aiming to escape the West Market and leave the city altogether. From where Lu Xin stood, a few leaps across rooftops would cut him off. Sure enough, after a dozen seconds, the fugitive drew near.

“Who are you, brat, to block my way?” the man in black barked.

“Heh, I’m just a nameless junior. But seeing you masked in black and hunted by the authorities, I thought I’d ask: What have you done?”

“Courting death!” The black-clad man, seeing Lu Xin’s mocking smile, wasted no more words. He lunged, and in an instant his dagger was at Lu Xin’s ear, a chill of sinister magic stabbing like needles. Lu Xin was ready; the Wandering Immortal Sword flew from under his arm, easily severing the dagger in two. The man in black seemed startled, his gaze turning icy as he leapt back.

By then, the assistant minister had also caught up. He gave Lu Xin a quick look, then circled behind the fugitive, his swordwork sealing all escape. At the same time, a storm of footsteps sounded below, and dozens of armed soldiers appeared in the street.

“Hmph, so you’re forcing me to kill,” the man in black sneered.

“Ridiculous! Look below—Yongzhou Prefecture and the Court of Judicial Review have the West Market surrounded. You won’t escape, even with wings. I don’t want to kill you. If you surrender quietly, I promise you’ll live,” the official declared.

“Wei Qing, do you think I don’t know who you are? Nephew of Wei Zheng, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works and Grand Secretary—how impressive!” For the first time, the man in black stopped laughing. As he spoke, thick black smoke billowed from his body, quickly turning red. In a flash, a monstrous shadow loomed over him—a blood-red demon with three heads and six arms, terrifying to behold.

Lu Xin instantly felt a surge of pure Yin energy envelop the space within a ten-step radius. Seeing persuasion had failed, Wei Qing charged with sword raised; his strikes were fierce and swift, sword shadows blurring in the air. Yet none of his attacks could penetrate the demon’s blood-red form; each blow rang out like metal on stone, producing a harsh, grating sound. Then, the black-clad man raised his hand, the demon’s eyes blazing. Its six arms pounded downward, smashing the rooftop to pieces and sending Wei Qing tumbling below.

“Blind and foolish mortals. Now, it’s your turn!” the man in black snarled, his gaze cold and deadly. Lu Xin’s brows drew together, but he did not retreat. Two seconds later, the demon soared into the sky, crashing down like a river of blood. Lu Xin raised his hands and pressed his palms together. A brilliant red light burst from his body—the manifestation of Daoist True Fire, transformed by sacred mantras.

“Daoist Light Seal!”

With a thunderous shout, Lu Xin struck upward. A dazzling beam of Buddhist light shot skyward, instantly engulfing the demon. The clash of the two forces was brighter than any firework in the night sky.