Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

Upon hearing this, the old cripple smiled slightly: "I don't know her, and I have nothing to do with her, do you believe me?"

Zhou Qingfeng smiled and pointed at him: "Mr. Liao, you're playing tricks on me. If you don't know her and have nothing to do with her, then why are you looking for her?"

The old cripple said, "Let's chat."

Zhou Qingfeng asked, "What should we talk about?"

The old cripple said, "Let's talk about some personal matters."

Good grief, that was like saying nothing at all, but Zhou Qingfeng wasn't going to give up so easily.

In other matters, Zhou Qingfeng might not have bothered to investigate further and would have simply done it. However, since it concerned the Sword Tower's Forbidden Number One Red Leaf, he had to be cautious and make sure he was fully aware of the situation before considering whether to help.

Zhou Qingfeng narrowed his eyes: "Mr. Liao, to be honest, you've helped me so many times, I owe you a lot of favors. I would definitely like to help you sincerely if I have the chance, but you can't hurt me."

The old cripple said calmly, "Why do you say that?"

Zhou Qingfeng said, "You must know about the rumors about the First Red Leaf. It's a taboo in the Sword Tower. Getting involved will definitely get you into big trouble. Now that you're asking me to find her, it's hard not to make me think a bit."

"Given our friendship, I won't keep you in suspense."

"Are you the mortal who fell in love with the first red leaf?"

Upon hearing this, the old cripple chuckled and said, "Do you think that's possible? If I were him, I would probably have been chopped into pieces and fed to the fish by the city lord's spies on the very first day I stepped into the Sword Tower. How could I be here talking to you?"

Zhou Qingfeng lowered his head to smell the fragrance of the flowers, and kept talking: "My master once told me that when you go out, you should give yourself a fake name and a fake origin. Liao Huaizhen may not be your real name, sir."

"Besides, names can be changed, and appearances can be altered. A decade or so is neither a long nor a short time; it's enough for a person to undergo a dramatic transformation. The young man of yesteryear can become the Mr. Liao we know today."

The old cripple chuckled: "I must say, Fourth Brother, your imagination is truly rich. It's a mistake to choose to be an official instead of a novelist. But there's a problem: I am a cultivator of the Fourth Realm, while the person you're talking about is a mortal. The difference between us is like heaven and earth; how can you lump us together?"

Zhou Qingfeng shrugged and said, "Indeed, in this turbid and evil world, there are demons and monsters everywhere in the wilderness. If a mortal travels alone, he may be devoured by demons before he has even gone ten miles."

"However, the wild is also the place with the most opportunities, big and small. It all depends on whether you are brave enough and lucky enough. If a mortal is lucky and brave enough, he may encounter some opportunities on the road, such as accidentally obtaining the relics of his predecessors or picking up a secret manual and treasure. He may be able to embark on the path of cultivation of the food-turbid."

"I previously acquired a miscellaneous book that was quite interesting and broadened my horizons considerably. For example, it explained how an ordinary person could become a rogue cultivator and how one could grow from an unknown rogue cultivator into a peerless master."

"Such exceptionally talented rogue cultivators, each with their own unique name, have shaken the Five Turbidities and have never disappeared from ancient times to the present."

"I think the man that the First Red Leaf has taken a liking to, even if he is an ordinary person, must have something extraordinary about him. It is not surprising that he wants to cultivate himself to become stronger after losing his love.

"In addition, the intense emotions of hatred, resentment, infatuation, and love torment his heart day and night, and his obsession grows stronger every day. This is the driving force behind his growth. He will spare no effort to become stronger and pursue invincible power."

"Only he knows how much suffering he has endured, how much blood he has shed, and how many times he has narrowly escaped death over the past ten years. However, I am certain that as long as he is alive, it is not impossible for him to quickly cultivate to the fourth realm. As long as he pays a price that ordinary people cannot bear and endures pain that ordinary people cannot bear, it is still possible."

The old cripple looked helpless and said quietly, "I'm really not the person you're talking about. I know your concerns and worries, but don't worry, I can guarantee that nothing will happen except for a few words when we meet. You can even be there to listen in when I talk to First Red Leaf."

Zhou Qingfeng frowned slightly. To be honest, the old cripple's request wasn't excessive. Regardless of whether the old cripple was really First Red Leaf's ex-lover, he could still arrange a private meeting and chat. As long as the arrangements were made properly and he accompanied him to supervise, there wouldn't be any problems.

What to do? I owe so many favors that I can't repay them all. And the old cripple rarely asks for my help. Considering how he has helped me time and time again, I have to find a way to get this done for him.

“Okay, I need some time to plan.” Zhou Qingfeng said, then immediately added, “It’s not an excuse, but I really need to plan it properly, otherwise I won’t be able to take you to see the First Red Leaf.”

"The First Red Leaf is currently in the Lotus Pond on Lotus Peak in the inner courtyard of the City Lord's Mansion. Outsiders need a pass to enter the City Lord's Mansion, which you certainly don't have. Unless you are summoned and given permission, you cannot enter."

"As for the inner courtyard, only a few people can freely enter and exit, and they are all familiar faces. Among them, there are fifteen sword attendants who live in the inner courtyard for a long time. If an outsider breaks in, they will probably be instantly killed by them. Their weakest is the fifteenth sword attendant, Panda, a cultivator in the Devouring Fiend Realm, but that was more than ten years ago."

"Don't think that there are only them in the inner courtyard. As far as I know, my master Qiu Chengde lives next to the entrance of the inner courtyard, and the two elders Qingming, who are as powerful as dragons, live in the scripture pavilion on Lotus Peak in the inner courtyard."

"I still don't know how many masters are hidden in the inner courtyard."

“Under normal circumstances you can’t enter the inner courtyard, and under abnormal circumstances you can’t enter either. In the last hundred years or so, I’m the only newcomer to have stepped into the inner courtyard. Just think how difficult it is to enter the inner courtyard.”

Upon hearing this, the old cripple nodded slightly: "I have the patience to wait. If you need my cooperation, just say the word."

Seeing that the old cripple wasn't in a hurry, Zhou Qingfeng's sense of urgency subsided somewhat. He needed time to plan carefully and find a suitable opportunity to avoid getting burned instead of helping others.

The old cripple, leaning on his crutch, walked to the tea table in the flower room, sat down, and waved, "Come sit down and have some flower tea."

Zhou Qingfeng sat down with a smile, took the flower tea and took a sip. It was bitter at first, but left a pleasant aftertaste: "It's not good. To be honest, Mr. Liao, I've had enough of this. I just want something sweet."

The old cripple chuckled, savoring his flower tea and slowly saying, "You like sweet tea because it makes you happy, while I prefer bitter tea, enjoying the bitterness. Everyone has their own preferences. Whether it tastes good or not depends entirely on one's taste. If you don't like bitter tea, just let it go; there's no need to force it."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng put down his teacup and said, "Mr. Liao's words are indeed insightful. There's something I'd like to ask you about. Does Mr. Liao know anything about the 'Word Demon Spirit'?"

The old cripple pondered for a moment and said, "I have the honor of having seen the Demonic Spirit of Words once."

Zhou Qingfeng's eyes lit up: "Please tell me, Mr. Liao, I need it to help me cultivate my magic."

The old cripple hummed in agreement: "Hmm... let me think where to begin."

“Oh right, when I stayed in Niushou Village, I met a young monk. Everyone called him the Living Buddha. Many of the local villagers are Buddhists. They pooled their money and effort to build a Buddhist temple.”

"The so-called Living Buddha is just an ordinary mortal who is not yet 20 years old. However, he is a devout Buddhist. Even though immortals and Buddhas do not save people in this evil world, he still guides others to do good and promotes the Buddhist ideals."

“I found it interesting. In this world, evil people are common, but good people are not. So I stayed for a few days and discovered that although the little monk was an ordinary person, he had an extraordinary talent. His words could always influence others. Even the evil people in the village could be persuaded to reform as long as he spoke.”

"He could regenerate severed limbs and cure diseases simply by speaking; he seemed to be omnipotent."

"Even demons and monsters can be influenced by the young monk to convert to Buddhism. Can you imagine that scene? A group of people and a group of demons and monsters listening to a young monk preach Buddhist scriptures. It's indescribably bizarre."

"I don't know if I was crazy or if the world was crazy."

At this point, the old cripple sighed, "But I have to admit that I have passed through countless castles, villages and cities, and this village is the only kind one. I observed it for a long time, intending to investigate the little monk's true nature, but the little monk inexplicably exploded and died."

"After the little monk died, Niushou Village immediately went mad and went berserk. The demons and monsters that had converted to Buddhism immediately revealed their ferocity and began to hunt down living people. The kind and gentle villagers also changed their personalities in an instant and began to kill each other. The situation was bizarre at the time, and I didn't think much before I chose to escape from Niushou Village."

"Later, as I gained more experience, I realized that the little monk had a demonic spirit that could control people's words. That's why he could say whatever he wanted and people would listen to him. Even demons and monsters were under his control. It was terrifying."

"But he is just a mortal, and a mortal cannot bear the power of the evil spirit."

"The more frequently he uses the power of the Demonic Words, the faster he will die. The little monk will probably still be naively believing that the Buddha has manifested and given him the divine power to save the world, even until the moment of his death. He will really think that he is the reincarnation of a living Buddha."

"Although we don't know why the Word Demon chose him, the Word Demon has its own code of conduct. The host it chooses must be a vessel that it deems suitable. As for why it is suitable, we don't know."

Zhou Qingfeng seemed to be deep in thought, then asked, "Where is Niushou Village?"

The old cripple recalled: "In the territory of Shenwei City, three hundred miles west of the main city, there is a Niushou Mountain, which is very easy to identify. However, Niushou Village is long gone, and all that remains are broken bricks and tiles."

"If you try to find the Word Demon, you will definitely come up empty-handed, because the Word Demon will search for a host everywhere. Once the host dies, it will replace it with another. Its appearance is usually just a flash in the pan and then disappears."

"Even if you find it, you can't catch it. It is formless and intangible, and cannot be harmed. It comes and goes without a trace. It often possesses people and is always accompanied by a large group of believers controlled by it. Cultivators at the Devouring Fiend Realm have almost no way to deal with it unless cultivators at the Devouring Poison Realm take action."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "I have the Demon-Capturing Lamp, which can be used to capture and imprison the demon spirit. However, I currently do not know where the demon spirit is, or who it is possessing. I have no information whatsoever."

The Demon-Slaying Lamp can indeed detect the presence of the Demonic Spirit of Words, but this is limited by a range of about ten miles. If the Demonic Spirit of Words is more than a hundred miles away, the Demon-Slaying Lamp will not react.

It can be said that wherever there is a suspected appearance of the Word Demon Spirit, Zhou Qingfeng can go to the scene with the magic lamp and know whether the other party has the Word Demon Spirit through the feedback of the magic lamp, which is very convenient.

The old cripple pondered for a moment, then said, "I have an idea, though it's not very mature, but you can give it a try. You can visit temples and Taoist monasteries, places with many worshippers and incense offerings."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng nodded slightly: "It is indeed a method. Even if we don't gain anything, we won't suffer any losses. It's worth a try. I'll take advantage of the free time I have these few days to visit the temples in the city."

The old cripple took a sip of flower tea and smiled slightly: "I'll go with you. I'm so bored at home. It'll be nice to walk around and change my mood. In case anything happens, I can help you out at a crucial moment."

Zhou Qingfeng and the old cripple hadn't finished talking yet.

At this moment, led by a servant, Zhiqi quickly arrived outside the flower room, clasped his hands and bowed, saying, "Young Master, we have news about the Resonance Cicada. It is treasured by Zhao Kuo in the Night Wanderer's mansion. After communicating with him, Zhao Kuo is willing to offer the Resonance Cicada to the Young Master, but he hopes that the Young Master can do him a small favor."

Zhou Qingfeng raised an eyebrow slightly: "Zhao Kuo, I remember him. What does he want my help with?"

The man holding the vessel said, "He wishes to speak with you in person and present the item to you personally."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "Where are they?"

The man holding the implement said, "The person is waiting outside the mansion. Do you wish to see him?"

Zhou Qingfeng pondered for a moment. Whatever Zhao Kuo wanted to see him about, he had to meet him, because what he wanted was in Zhao Kuo's hands. If they could reach an agreement on an exchange of benefits, that would be a good thing. "Zhiqi, ask him to sit in the study for a while. I'll go see him later. Have you found any information about the Yan Sha Demon Spirit?"

Holding his weapon and clasping his hands in response, he said, "Young Master, there is no definite news about the Demon Spirit of Words and Spells at the moment. Your subordinate is doing his best to investigate. Please be patient with us for a while longer."

Zhou Qingfeng smiled slightly: "Don't be nervous, you've done a good job. Finding the whereabouts of the Resonance Cicada in just a few days is already a great achievement. I'll personally find the Demon Spirit of Words. Butler Pang, a generous reward is in order."

Steward Pang stepped out from the group of servants, clasped his hands in greeting, and replied, "Yes, Master."

The Zhou mansion was huge, with more than a hundred servants and maids. Without Jin Wei as the steward, someone had to be chosen to manage things, otherwise things would fall into chaos. This Steward Pang was recommended by Jin Wei.

This person is of average talent and mediocre wisdom, but is obedient and loyal. He has always been relatively unknown, and people only remember him when they need him.

Zhou Qingfeng stood up and said, "Mr. Liao, please excuse me. I have a guest visiting my residence and I must go and see him."

The old cripple smiled slightly: "Please go ahead."

Zhou Qingfeng clasped his hands in a salute, turned around and strode out of the flower room. Behind him, a large group of servants and maids followed. Whenever Zhou Qingfeng had any needs, someone would immediately take care of them, truly making his wishes come true.

In the blink of an eye, Zhou Qingfeng arrived at the door of the study. He straightened his collar and belt, coughed twice to indicate that he had arrived at the door of the study, and the servants and maids were scattered and waiting at the door and in the courtyard outside the study.

Sure enough, as soon as Zhou Qingfeng stepped into the study, Zhao Kuo stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and said with a smile, "This humble official Zhao Kuo greets Commander Zhou. It is truly an honor for this humble official to be summoned by the Commander."

Zhou Qingfeng put one hand behind his back and extended the other, smiling as he said, "Please sit down, Mr. Zhao. There's no need for formalities."