The Invincible Strongest Student

Chapter 1195: Chapter 1195: Lion Pavilion

Coming out from Jiang Pan Die’s house, Lin Tian stood at the door, squinting at the somewhat dazzling sun, and let out a deep breath.

”Under a lot of pressure?” Zhao Qingtang asked softly, noticing the heavy sigh he had just let out, as if he was carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders.

”Haha, yes, quite a lot.” Lin Tian nodded without reservation, ”Seeing her become like this, I really bear a significant responsibility. These spirit insects must be dealt with! This is my responsibility!”

Zhao Qingtang did not follow up on his words or offer comfort; instead, she just supported him, quietly basking in the sun, as if the warm feeling could help forget those worries.

Once the sun had made them sweat a bit, Zhao Qingtang finally said, ”It’s time to go back.”

As the ’doctor in charge’, Zhao Qingtang felt that they had been out long enough. Now that the sun had made them sweat, it was time to return, especially since Lin Tian’s body still needed rest.

Lin Tian smiled and said, ”Don’t rush, accompany me to one more place, please.”

Zhao Qingtang imitated Lin Tian’s earlier overwhelmed expression and gently sighed: this guy is still so disobedient!

”Where to?” Zhao Qingtang asked softly.

”To meet an old friend... no, should say, an acquaintance.”

As a distinguished guest of the Alliance, and indeed of the entire Luoyan Dock, Lin Tian was treated with high regard. Not to mention anything else, just the people waiting by who were quite numerous, with three men and three women, proficient in medicine and not weak in skills.

Lin Tian glanced around the courtyard, finally resting his gaze on a man with a small goatee. His feet stood apart, hands behind his back, body straight as a rod, with an extraordinary demeanor.

Lin Tian smiled and beckoned to him, calling out, ”Little Goat... yes, you, come over!”

Lin Tian didn’t really know his name, but seeing him with a goatee, he just called him that for now.

”Mr. Lin... I’m not called Little Goat. You can call me Yue Ming.”

He was older than Lin Tian by several years, being called ’Little Goat’ by a young man was rather awkward!

”Yue Ming?” Lin Tian touched his chin, in a thoughtful manner, and after a few seconds still said, ”I still think Little Goat is easier to remember, don’t you agree?”

”I... okay...” Little Goat was internally exasperated, but faced with this distinguished guest of Luoyan Dock, he reckoned he could call him whatever he wished, anyway... it’s not terribly unpleasant, right?

”By the way, what did you call me earlier? Mr. Lin?” Lin Tian asked puzzled, having no recollection of when he acquired such a title.

”Yes, that’s the instruction from the Grand Elder.” Little Goat replied.

Lin Tian immediately understood; being the old fellow’s master, and considering there being many treasures, a titular elder was nothing, it could be interpreted as them trying to build a connection.

”Actually, there isn’t any other matter, it’s just that I need you to lead the way, to Lion Pavilion.” Lin Tian said.

...

Lion Pavilion is an independent pavilion in the quite central area of Luoyan Dock.

The pavilion is four stories high, constructed almost entirely of irregular large stones, black bricks and grey tiles, appearing distinctive against the surrounding grand buildings but not overly abrupt.

”What’s the function of this pavilion? Why does it look a bit creepy?” Zhao Qingtang asked.

Lin Tian chuckled, saying, ”You can understand this pavilion as a prison, Lion Pavilion is also called Lion’s Mouth, being detained is tantamount to entering the lion’s belly, with no return, so it might indeed appear rather eerie.”

”Ah?” Zhao Qingtang opened her mouth in surprise and asked puzzled, ”Why are you here then?”

Lin Tian laughed, ”Didn’t I tell you just now? To see an acquaintance.”

A couple of days ago when the Grand Elder was in Lin Tian’s room, he had already informed him of being brought back to Luoyan Dock along with Jiang Pan Die, and also a woman and two men, all associated with Wang Sicong, who were kept in Lion Pavilion.

Lin Tian had some questions that puzzled him, rather than having them brought to his small courtyard, he decided to come himself.

Of course, there were guards wielding long spears at the entrance of Lion Pavilion, they didn’t recognize Lin Tian but after Little Goat had a conversation with them, they easily let him in.

It was later learned that Little Goat worked here before, undoubtedly familiar with the place.

Initially Zhao Qingtang thought, a prison built within Luoyan Dock, would resemble ones in period dramas, with candles lit on the walls and various cruel torture devices visible.

Upon entering, she found her assumptions somewhat off the mark, as it was actually very modern inside, with the first floor housing a professional interrogation room. After taking the elevator to the third floor, that’s where ’prisoners’ were actually held.

The genuinely astonishing part was that these ’cells’ had doors made entirely of thick black steel rods, with narrow gaps, and behind the rods lay an inch-thick tempered glass, both preventing escapes and soundproofing.

Such sturdy prison gates were indeed exaggerated, one could never escape in a lifetime.

Following Little Goat closely, Lin Tian and Zhao Qingtang observed along the way, discovering that it was quite an exceptional place, with numerous cells still housing inmates. Among them were men and women of all ages, and each didn’t look like a peaceable character.

”Hey, Little Goat, what crimes have the people in here committed?” Lin Tian asked curiously.

”Half of them have committed offenses in various prominent families, some awaiting review, others to be imprisoned for life, and some nearing their end. See, that old man with disheveled hair is a Golden Core expert from the Wang Family, who was seriously injured and captured last time during a conflict with us at the True Martial Hall; it’s said that he killed more than twenty of ours. They’re planning to get some Wang Family cultivation technique secrets out of him and then do away with him. Look at that red-haired, half-naked woman, no one knows what grudge she has with a main family member from the Xv Family, but she seduced him and killed him with a knife, she’s been locked here. There’s also that pale young man, he dared to steal poison from the Tang Family, and was caught and imprisoned here, apparently he’s deeply poisoned now and won’t live long.”

After hearing about these people’s deeds, Lin Tian was not particularly surprised, as it was impossible for the people detained at Xu Family Stream to be considered ordinary.

”What about the other half?” Lin Tian asked again.

”The other half...” Little Goat lowered his voice slightly, ”They’re people brought over from the national prison, with very strong skills, encompassing all sorts of identities, many official matters that are tricky to handle are addressed here.”

Little Goat didn’t go into further detail, but Lin Tian could understand the implication of this, evidently here housed quite a few capable individuals.