Immortal Road.

As the explosion and mist dissipated, a person was revealed, his hair disheveled and his face flushed from the blast, but his gleaming armor protected him.

"Commander Wu?"

Lin Shan shouted in disbelief. The originally sinister Xiu Rong Su was severely injured in the chaos of battle and could no longer maintain her disguise, revealing her original appearance.

It turned out to be Wu Dutong, who had just resigned from Beishixing not long ago!
In his memory, this commander was calm and reserved, meticulous in his work, and also quite tactful in his dealings with others. He had devoted himself to assisting Beishi Xingjun. He never expected that he would be the leader of the third-ranked star pirate gang, Juxinglian!

Even Zhang Gongfeng and Xu Gongfeng were dumbfounded at this moment.

They had both met Commander Wu, but Xiu Rongsu and the other party had nothing in common. How did they become the same person?
"Impossible, he wouldn't be trying to trick us on purpose, would he?"

Everyone had heard of Commander Wu's prowess; he was a powerful figure second only to a True Immortal in his time, and a trusted subordinate of the Old Star Lord. How could he turn around and become a star pirate, sowing discord on the Northern Star?

"Hmph, my real name is Su Rongxiu, which, when pronounced backwards, is Xiu Rong Su. What's impossible about that?"

Commander Wu forced down the mouthful of blood that was about to spit out. Lin Shan had self-destructed his Void Realm Peak Domain, dragging his own Star Domain down with him. He was filled with extreme resentment.

Back then, this guy was chosen to become an alchemist in the Star Palace right in front of me.

You're a servant in the Star Palace, why aren't you hiding inside refining pills? What are you doing out here fighting bandits? Aren't you just wasting your time?
"Commander Wu, why? Didn't you resign and return to your hometown? Why have you become a space pirate?"

Lin Shan believed he still had a six-month friendship with Commander Wu, and that things hadn't completely fallen out yet, so he questioned him incredulously.

Commander Wu spat fiercely.

"You heard me right. I resigned from my official post and returned to my hometown. Apart from the lower realm before my ascension, my hometown is Beishi Star. Where else can I go if I don't stay here?"

Everyone: "."

That's right. He's a son of the stars of Beijing Normal University. Returning home means staying in the stars of Beijing Normal University. It's commonly known as returning to one's roots.

"Besides, do you really think I'm a genius space pirate?"

"Hmph, if it weren't for that young man parachuting into Beishi Star, this Star Lord position should have been mine!"

"I have served the old star lord for thousands of years. He promised to recommend me before he left, but in the end he still hasn't made it. How long will I be stuck in this position as commander-in-chief?"

"That's why I created the Star Pirates, to disrupt the situation on Beishi Star, to get the higher-ups to punish that kid and remove him from his post. He still wants to come to Beishi Star to make money? I'll make sure you end up with nothing!"

Commander Wu became more and more agitated as he spoke, his chest heaving violently, showing that he had been holding this grudge for a long time.

He was originally the son of the stars of the Northern Star, and he assisted the old star lord for thousands of years. Logically speaking, it should be his turn to succeed him.

However, the practice of buying official positions in Xingting was rampant, allowing Beishi Xingjun to take the lead, spend money to come here to assume his post, and parachute into this place to seize the position of Wudutong. Do you think he could tolerate that?

That's why he thought of impersonating a space pirate and making a mess of the starry sky, all so that the higher-ups would punish the Star Lord for dereliction of duty. Then he could send that kid to jail and he could take over the Star Lord's position with a clear conscience.

But before he could succeed, he was forced to lose his official position by Beishi Xingjun, so he hated the other party to the core.

But he also knew that the Star Palace was impregnable and impossible to break into. Moreover, the Northern Star Lord was an official of the Star Court, and if he dared to kill him, the Imperial Censor would come to investigate. How could he escape the net of the Directorate of Astronomy then?

Now, all we can do is continue to block commercial shipping routes and drag Beishi Xingjun down from his position to take revenge.

Lin Shan suddenly felt enlightened.

"I understand now. When the Star Palace's three armies besieged the Northern Wolves a while ago, you didn't deliberately hold back, which led to the Star Palace's crushing defeat, did you?"

"Hahaha, that's right!"

Commander Wu laughed heartily, looking up at the sky with immense pride.

"I am the son of the stars of Beijing Normal University. Unless a true immortal descends, how could those mere roughnecks of the Three Wolves of Beijing Normal University possibly be a match for my three armies?"

No matter how young the Star Lord of the Northern Normal School is, the foundation left by the previous Star Lord is not weak. The Star Palace Guard, the Northern Normal Star Army, and the garrison troops in various places are all elites among elites, with many experts among them. If they are gathered together, they will definitely be able to deal a heavy blow to the space pirates!

However, despite the encirclement and suppression by these three armies, they were utterly defeated by the Three Wolves of the Northern Army. Regardless of whether Commander Wu held back or not, it was a major mistake, and it's no wonder that the Star Lord of the Northern Army forced him to resign.

Now the truth is out, and it turns out there really was such a shady deal behind it all!
It seems that the Northern Star Lord is quite merciful. If someone else were to become the Star Lord, the matter would definitely be reported to the higher authorities to punish him!
But when it came to Commander Wu, it was a different story; he actually praised the Northern Star Lord for his intelligence.

"That kid cut through the Gordian knot and forced me to relinquish my military power. If I wait for the higher-ups to punish me, it will take at least three to five years. By then, he will have already been dismissed from his post for his poor performance in suppressing bandits!"

"However, as clever as they are, they are not skilled in political maneuvering. Nobles who come from true immortal families should, in theory, have protectors and a large number of family members accompanying them."

"I've been following him for over half a year, but I've never seen him with any help. He's always been alone, which makes me suspect that he might not have any power behind him. So this is just a test."

"If he keeps me, it means he has the courage to rely on his prestigious family background, he doesn't care about tricks and can easily end the turmoil; but if he directly uses means to dismiss me in a fit of anger, it means he has very few trump cards and no outside help!"

This reasoning involves seasoned experience in officialdom, which Wu Dutong was well aware of, which is why he dared to continue his work as a space pirate and wreak havoc on the Northern Army.

But today he stumbled here in Linshan. The Juxing Alliance he had built collapsed, leaving him all alone!
"Master Xiongshan, don't be so smug. Beishi Xingjun is ruthless and scheming. You stepped forward to help him, but he might not be grateful. He'll discard you after he's done his work. You're not an official, so he can throw you in jail anytime he wants. You won't even have time to cry then!"

Although Lin Shan was still in shock, he showed no fear on the surface.

"That's for the future. Right now, you have nothing. Let's see how you'll stir up any trouble in the future."

"You don't need to worry about it. Consider it a setback for me today, but we'll meet again!"

Wu Dutong transformed into a streak of light, using his natal star as a guide, and rushed unstoppably into the distance.

Xu Gongfeng and Zhang Gongfeng shouted for the crowd to stop them.

But how do we stop them?
Should we use the natal chart or the domain?

These people can only fight when things are going well, following behind the tall guy and picking up heads. Without Lin Shan's fearless courage in front, they wouldn't dare to go up and risk trouble.

After a brief assessment, Lin Shan did not try to stop them.

He has already gained a lot from this battle, but he has also used up two Luck Cards. Even if he takes out another Luck Card to intercept, he may not be able to completely defeat Wu Dutong, a Star Child at the peak of the Void Realm!
Moreover, in the previous competition for battle merits, everyone only went so far as to make a small effort, because there was still the formidable enemy Xiu Rongsu at hand.

Even if he manages to lead these people to defeat Wu Dutong, then with no enemies left but competitors, who should receive the greatest credit? Won't he become the target of everyone's criticism?
Especially given that the Jinbei Chamber of Commerce and the Chutong Chamber of Commerce, two major patrons, were also present, it would be best for him to protect himself if he didn't want to be besieged.

And so, right under the noses of ten men of the same rank, Commander Wu swaggered away without encountering the slightest hindrance!
Xu Gongfeng and Zhang Gongfeng both looked grim.

The two of them came at the behest of the Chamber of Commerce president. Although they defeated the Juxing Alliance gang of robbers, their target, the ringleader Xiu Rongsu, escaped.

Moreover, after such a fierce battle, his own natal star was crushed, and he didn't have a single bounty on his hands. It was all divided up by these recruited rogue cultivators, making him a thoroughly enjoyable laborer! Looking at these people, they were all opportunistic fair-weather friends, hiding in the back and refusing to put in any effort. They were all just slacking off. What use were they?
To be honest, these people are still useful. Without them, Juxinglian really wouldn't have been able to be destroyed.

In contrast, Lin Shan's performance in this battle was outstanding, and he did make a great contribution. Even if others were dissatisfied with him taking so many bounties, they dared not criticize him easily now.

Because Commander Wu revealed his identity before leaving.

Star Palace Alchemist!
This is someone who works for the Northern Star Lord; who would dare offend him?
"Alright, let's go back first. Xiu Rongsu's strength is greatly reduced now, but that doesn't mean he's incapable of fighting back. Once his luck recovers and he returns to kill us, I'm afraid..."

The two elders looked at Lin Shan together, clearly valuing his opinion.

Lin Shan nodded in agreement.

"The recovery of fortune depends on the other party's fate. If it is very strong, it will not take half a day, or even a few hours. Since the two elders have lost their natal stars, we have no direct point of restraint. It would be best to return to Beishi Star to rest first."

His words resonated with everyone, and they immediately agreed to leave.

The two retainers brought out their own merchant ship, and now that the crisis was over, they naturally allowed everyone to board and return home.

But these people from the Jinbei Chamber of Commerce still have a temper. You abandoned us when we were in danger, and only picked us up now that the danger is over. Who wants to ride in your shabby boat!

Clearly, they had lost trust in Xu Gongfeng and left the group to return home on their own.

Lin Shan smiled and took out the Xuanwu Spirit Boat.

"Gentlemen, I'll head back first to collect my reward. See you at the Beishixing Chamber of Commerce."

"Fellow Daoist Xiongshan, please take care."

Xu Gongfeng gave a wry smile and could only take the boat back by himself.

Zhang Gongfeng, who was with a group of independent cultivators, invited Xu Gongfeng to join them, but Xu declined and chose to travel alone.

Three days later.

Lin Shan was the first to return to Beishi Star and collect the bounty of two hundred seventh-grade spirit stones from the Jinbei Chamber of Commerce and the Chutong Chamber of Commerce!
Suddenly receiving a huge sum of money filled me with boundless energy.

The presidents of the two chambers of commerce inquired about what had happened. Upon learning that Juxing Alliance had been defeated but its leader, Xiu Rongsu, had escaped, they both looked worried and felt that the situation was very difficult to handle.

Especially after learning that Xiu Rong Su's true identity was Wu Dutong, he was devastated and even felt helpless!
"Commander Wu's strength has reached its peak. During the time of the old Star Lord, he was known as the number one person below the True Immortal. Originally, once he took over the position of Star Lord, it wouldn't be long before he could try to ascend to immortality. Who can deal with such a strong person? Alas, what a pity."

Lin Shan also expressed his inability to help, offering polite words of comfort and saying that if he had the chance in the future, he would kill the guy and come back to claim the reward.

The presidents of the two chambers of commerce clearly didn't take it to heart. If you can't kill so many of your people, how can you kill one person?

After leaving the Chamber of Commerce, he returned to the Star Palace and reported the matter of General Wu to the Northern Star Lord.

Upon hearing this, the other person immediately stood up.

"What a fine Commander Wu! I had already sensed something was wrong with him. He couldn't even defeat a mere space pirate when he was in charge of the Northern Army. That's why I decided to kill the innocent rather than let the guilty go free and removed this thorn in my side! I didn't expect that I would actually accidentally throw out the rotten apple that spoiled the whole pot."

Bei Shi Xingjun gazed into the distance, his hand on his sword as he looked around, exuding a youthful and heroic air.

"Don't let me touch him, or I'll tear him to pieces!"

Lin Shan, being very tactful, lowered his head and offered a humble compliment.

"Lord Xingjun is wise and brave, and you can foresee the enemy's moves. Your subordinate admires you. However, that Commander Wu is treacherous and two-faced. You are too precious to risk your life. You can leave this small matter to your subordinate."

"Too."

Upon hearing this, Beishi Xingjun sheathed his sword, tossed it into the arms of a maidservant, and lay back on his precious couch, lazily waving his hand.

"With Grandmaster Xiongshan around, that Commander Wu won't be arrogant for long. By the way, you killed four Void Realm star pirates this time, and I heard you even scattered the third largest gang, the Star Gathering Alliance? Someone, come here!"

"grown ups."

"Go and have Grandmaster Xiongshan calculate your battle merits, and remember to double them!"

"Yes, Master Xiongshan, come with me."

Lin Shan followed the Star Palace guards to a mission hall, where missions were assigned and battle merits were calculated.

He took out the proof of the four Void Realm Star Pirates, and after verifying it with the other party, he gave them a full 80,000 contribution points!

You should know that he worked in the Star Palace for half a year, refining Star Pills day and night, and only earned 5,000 points.

Killing four space pirates instantly allows you to exchange them for sixteen Star Wind Lotuses!
"enough."

Lin Shan was so excited that he immediately went to the warehouse to exchange all the points, then took the spiritual herbs back to his cave and couldn't wait to go into seclusion to refine the Zheli Pill.

As a result, half a month later.

All the materials were used up, and only two batches were successfully produced, with fifteen pills in each batch. In total, there were thirty pills, which was equivalent to three bottles, enough for him to consume and cultivate for about ten years.

Although the success rate is low, everything is difficult at the beginning, so at least there is hope, right?

If I want to continue accumulating cultivation resources, I must go out and suppress bandits to earn more points!
He arranged the work in the Star Palace, as the refining of the Star Pills could not be stopped, as this was his main job.

Afterwards, he left the Star Palace and went to the North Star, then went to several major business guilds to update the latest star map.

While at the Jinbei Chamber of Commerce, I unexpectedly learned some news.

Since returning from Linshan half a month ago, Master Xu has not appeared again, but four other rogue cultivators have come here to receive their rewards.

Based on suspicion, it is believed that Master Xu has perished.

The time of his fall was the day after the end of that battle!
It's not hard to guess the murderer; it's very likely that it was Commander Wu, who had regained his fortune and made a comeback. He saw that Xu Gongfeng was alone and went up to kill him.

"Commander Wu's retaliation came so quickly. Our chamber of commerce has been unable to operate for several days because of this. What should we do?"

President Jinbei blinked, his eyes fixed on Lin Shan. (End of Chapter)