I found Shi Yin in the private room of the teahouse.
Shi Yin was short in stature, with extremely robust forearms that were exposed in the air.
This is the standard figure of the Unloading Mountains and Rivers Master.
Despite their aggressive nickname, their actual bodies are quite delicate in order to move freely in the tomb tunnels.
If they were too tall, the narrow and numerous tunnels in the tomb would limit their maneuverability.
As for his robust arms, there's a reason for it. The skills of the Unloading Mountains and Rivers Master mainly rely on their hands, with immense strength, allowing them to move mountains and earth effortlessly.
When I shook hands with Shi Yin, I clearly felt the strength of his arms. With a gentle grip, I felt like my palm was about to be crushed.
After Shi Yin greeted me, he pointed to the middle-aged man beside him who wore a duckbill cap and was tall and lanky, and said, "This is…."
Before Shi Yin could finish the introduction, the tall middle-aged man performed a rather grandiose self-introduction.
He clapped his hands and bowed ninety degrees to me, saying loudly, "May I ask where the plum blossoms are, blowing in the wind all night and filling the Kunlun Mountains? I am Zhao Changfeng, a Daoist from the Clear Wind Temple on the Kunlun Longhu Mountain."
This person's speech and manner seemed to have transported me back to ancient times.
As I looked at Zhao Changfeng and Shi Yin, I couldn't help but say after a long pause, "Shi Xiong, your friend speaks in a rather antiquated style."
"Quite so," Shi Yin said as he gestured for me to take the higher seat.
Zhao Changfeng also came over and bowed to me, saying respectfully, "I heard that the Yin summoner is not only summoning people from the northeast. People from all over the country are being summoned, right? Can you also put me down in your book, so that next time there's work, I can do business with you?"
To be honest, I found Zhao Changfeng's half-literary and half-white style of speaking a bit disconcerting, but I couldn't show it on my face and could only nod and agree.
But in my heart, I thought, it seems that our city is really going to be in the midst of significant events. How many people from the underworld and the nine gates of Jianghu have gathered here?
After the three of us exchanged pleasantries, Shi Yin got straight to the point and said to me, "You're Li Shanshui, the Yin summoner, right? Our Unloading Mountains and Rivers Master have caused some offense this time. Although you haven't used us for a hundred years, we still abide by our rules.
In fact, our last cooperation with the Yin summoner and the Unloading Mountains and Rivers Master dates back to the mid-Qing Dynasty.
At that time, the Unloading Mountains and Rivers Master had produced the first zombie in the world 'Jiangmin', while our Yin summoner was still quite popular in the mid-Kangxi period.
However, in the later years of Kangxi's reign, the Yin summoner's family retired and left the court, completely becoming a civilian organization.
"Jiangmin" was sealed in a blood coffin by the Maoshan Daoists and the Northern Ma family, and the Unloading Mountains and Rivers Master also completely disappeared, only rumored to be active in the Changbai Mountains.
In other words, our Yin summoner and the Unloading Mountains and Rivers Master went from glory to obscurity almost at the same time, and can also be considered as brothers in adversity.
I bowed and said, "Nonsense, the descendants of the Unloading Mountains and Rivers Master have been coming to me to update their contact information all these years, which is quite considerate."
Shi Yin nodded, clasped his fists and said, "Very well, Li, you are reasonable. We'll also be reasonable. I ask you one question, and you must answer me truthfully."
"Of course," I replied seriously.
"I'll ask you, did Da Jinya come to Guangzhou because he took a liking to something?" Shi Yin quickly said, and then added, blocking my question: What that thing is, I cannot say. I can only say that if Da Jinya really took a fancy to that thing, he can only spend the rest of his life in prison.
Hearing this, I pondered, could it be that Da Jinya really took a liking to something?
It's impossible. If it weren't for me inviting him to Guangzhou to summon the Yin, he'd still be in Harbin. How could he have taken a liking to something?
I decisively stated, "No, Da Jinya came to Guangzhou just to do a Yin summoning business with me, and he wouldn't be interested in anything else."
"Really?"
Shi Yin asked me.
"Indeed." I had just finished speaking when there was a sudden shout from the tea table: "If it's true! Then look into my eyes!"
I followed the sound and saw Zhao Changfeng's two bloodshot eyes.
Then, Zhao Changfeng raised his right hand, and from the cuff of his right sleeve, a dark mist emerged, which rushed toward my face.
The dark mist also emitted a baby's crying sound.
I tried to dodge, but there was no time, and then I felt something drilling into my forehead, and my head became heavy, and I fainted on the table.
When I woke up, half an hour had already passed.
I rubbed my aching head and muttered, "Damn, I really thought he was a proper Taoist priest, turns out he's from the 'Yin' Mountain sect."
"Sorry about that, it's a serious matter, that's why I used a little ghost to search your memory," Li Changfeng apologized to me.
Damn, luckily I don't have anything shameful, or else I'd really be screwed by this 'Yin' Mountain priest.
I massaged my head and asked Li Changfeng, "Is there a problem, Li Ge?"
"Li Ge has no problem," Li Changfeng nodded and said to Shi Yin.
Shi Yin then praised me with kind words: "Li Ge is an honest man, the whole thing with Da Jinya was really a misunderstanding, I'm sorry."
After that, he told me, "Li Ge can leave now. I guarantee that Da Jinya will be able to leave the police station tonight."
"Really?"
"Of course it's true," Shi Yin promised, then said something that made me wonder: "Oh, my boss also told me to tell you that he really admires you and hopes you won't do anything ungrateful?"
What does that mean? Shi Yin has someone behind him, and this person even knows me?
"Alright, we've said enough, please go ahead," Shi Yin opened the door and made a gesture for me to leave.
Since he had already shown me out, I couldn't stay any longer. As I walked away, I heard Li Changfeng say from behind, "Li Ge, next time you need some 'Yin', remember to consider me, we can do business together."
I agreed on the surface, but in my heart, I said, "Screw you, Yin Shan Taoist. The practitioners of 'Yin' are extinct, I won't have anything to do with your 'Yin'."
When I left the teahouse, it was already seven or eight o'clock in the evening. I called Han Li and she asked me to go to the police station to make a statement.
I said I would be there soon.
When I arrived at the police station, I happened to see Da Jinya being released.
I thought, whoever is behind Shi Yin has a lot of power. It was just a matter of time before they set up Da Jinya, and now they've managed to get him out. There was also a short, chubby middle-aged man by Da Jinya's side.
I called out to Da Jinya, "Old Jin, you're out?"
Da Jinya heard my voice, looked up, and then saw me. He quickly ran towards me.
"Xiao Li," he said.
"Old Jin, have you learned your lesson this time?" I rolled my eyes at Da Jinya and asked who the chubby man next to him was.
The man introduced himself: "Oh, I'm here on business at the request of Shi Ge. I'm a lawyer. Now that I've got you out, I'll go back and report to Shi Ge. Goodbye."
The man greeted me and then left on his own.
As soon as he was gone, I immediately grabbed Da Jinya and said, "I asked Shi Yin, and he said someone did want to deal with you, but it was just a misunderstanding."
"What misunderstanding?" Da Jinya was confused. He had been arrested by the police due to a misunderstanding, and it had been weighing heavily on his mind.
I said it was probably because those people were afraid you would take something from them. As for what that something was, I didn't know because Shi Yin didn't say.
Da Jinya slapped his thigh and laughed and cried, "Xiao Li, think about it. When I was working as Jinyiwei, I didn't even dare to take an antique bowl without permission. Do you think I, with such a timid personality, would dare to steal from someone? This is a huge misunderstanding."
"Don't worry, the misunderstanding has been cleared up. They used a little ghost to search my memory to ensure you're in the clear," I said, patting my still groggy head. "Oh, things are really chaotic in our city right now. Let's focus on solving the mystery of the Fox Immortal's death first. As for the rest, let those big shots take care of it."
Da Jinya nodded and said he was willing to help me investigate the Fox Immortal's death. Then he asked me, "Why is Shi Yin still using 'little ghosts' now?"
"Shi Yin wouldn't do that. It was a 'Yin' Mountain Taoist who used a little ghost to search my memory," I thought of the Zhao Changfeng, who seemed noble on the outside but was actually so cruel and ruthless. I was really annoyed.
Da Jinya's mouth fell open, "What? A 'Yin' Mountain Taoist? How can such scum appear?"
Heh heh, it looks like this 'Yin' Mountain Taoist has a notorious reputation. Not only do I, who often deal with 'Yin' people, know their notoriety, but even the Shaman of the Northeast knows about their misdeeds.
I sneered and said there's even more history between the 'Yin' Mountain Taoist and the practitioners of Xiling.
"What history?"
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," I said to Da Jinya.
Da Jinya was a little confused and asked me, "What do you mean by that?"