Druid Fairy

Chapter 104 Anger

The back hall of the Yunshui County Government Office is filled with the aroma of sandalwood.

The scent of sandalwood mingled with the smell of ink from the documents, creating a place that should have been peaceful but was now oppressively suffocating.

Liang Xianguan sat upright in his armchair, his fingers gently caressing a warm, smooth jade pendant. He did not look up, his gaze fixed on the withered, yellow sycamore tree outside the hall, as if nothing in the county was as important as this autumn leaf.

"In other words, the thugs and hooligans in the city are still rampant. And the remnants of the 'Wusheng Cult' are still like rats in the ground, occasionally popping out to annoy people?"

His voice was flat and indifferent, revealing no emotion.

But Li Ping'an, who was standing below the hall, felt a faint chill.

Liang Xianguan turned his gaze from the window to the Li brothers, a faint smile playing on his lips, though it didn't reach his eyes.

"Ping'an, I promoted you back then because I valued your talent and ability to pass the imperial examination. Pingfu, I granted you command of the patrol battalion because I valued your innate martial arts skills."

He paused, picked up his teacup, gently blew away the foam, and continued slowly and deliberately: "But now it seems that you two brothers, with your combined literary and martial talents, can't even manage the security of a mere Yunshui County. Is this due to your incompetence, or... is it that the gangs in Yunshui County have become so powerful that even the government can't do anything about them?"

His words, spoken casually, were piercingly incisive.

Although the words "good-for-nothing" were not uttered, the contemptuous and accusatory tone had already permeated the entire back room.

Liang Xianguan's gaze seemed calm as it fell on Li Ping'an, who was bowing below the hall. But deep in his eyes, there was a hint of unease and apprehension that even he himself was unaware of.

The files on the desk record Li Pingfu's achievements since taking office.

The gambling den in the west of the city was raided, and the local thugs who had been around for years were all caught in one fell swoop. Even several unsolved cases that had been unsolved for years were solved with clues thanks to the swift and decisive actions of the police.

The praise from the people almost reached into the back hall of the county government office.

But the more this happened, the more unhappy Liang Xianguan became.

The Li brothers were like a pair of perfectly matched gears; one was in charge of military preparedness, intimidating the villains; the other was in charge of paperwork, winning people's hearts. They were united as one, and their momentum was so strong that there were even signs that they were about to slip out of his control.

He needs an obedient dog, not a wolf that can stand shoulder to shoulder with its master.

"Lord Immortal Official, please calm down."

Li Ping'an bowed deeply, his posture extremely humble, and his tone calm and respectful, "It is my incompetence that I failed to eradicate this stubborn disease as soon as possible, thus disturbing your peace. I will certainly learn from this painful experience, increase manpower, and patrol day and night to bring those lawbreakers to justice and restore a bright and clear world to Yunshui County."

He knew perfectly well that Liang Xianguan was making a show of force. The Li family was still too young and inexperienced to afford a complete falling out with him.

This magistrate is not only an official, but also a celestial being, backed by the entire Great Yu Dynasty, enjoying the blessings of the dynasty's fortune. Every word and action of his carries the power of law. To oppose him is tantamount to a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Endure, only endure.

Once the family's strength truly grows, today's humiliation can be settled another day.

Standing to the side, Zhou Junzhi was secretly furious. In the past two months, Brother Weining had been working tirelessly through the night to organize the files of various forces and formulate a plan to eliminate them, and his eyes had become sunken.

Wei Ning's elder brother took the lead, training and patrolling the streets with the police officers every day. They arrested countless criminals, and he became tanned and thinner.

The security situation in Yunshui County is vastly different from when the Zhou family was alive.

However, in Liang Xianguan's mouth, such achievements were described as "incompetence" and "rampant".

It was clearly a deliberate attempt to suppress him, as if they were afraid that Li Ping'an's prestige in the county would surpass their own!

Zhou Junzhi was indignant, but he could only lower his head and remain silent, suppressing his resentment deep inside. Within this county government office, Liang Xianguan was the law, and no one dared to disobey his will.

Seeing Li Ping'an's respectful attitude, Liang Xianguan felt satisfied with the pleasure of suppressing him. His face returned to its compassionate expression. He offered a few words of gentle encouragement before waving him away.

As soon as Li Ping'an's figure disappeared through the doorway, the gentleness on Liang Xianguan's face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold indifference.

"That unruly country bumpkin, does he really think that climbing up a branch makes him a phoenix?"

He picked up his teacup, gently blew away the foam, and muttered to himself, "In the end, I'm still the one who calls the shots in Yunshui County."

…………

After the three people left the back room.

Zhou Junzhi, who had a fiery temper, finally couldn't hold back and muttered, "This is outrageous!"

There are only a handful of capable officials in this county government who do real work for the people, and the Li brothers are two of them.

He was humiliated like this simply because of his outstanding abilities.

"Junzhi, be quiet." Li Ping'an's eyes remained clear as he reminded him, "This is not the place to talk." An immortal's divine sense can detect the surrounding situation.

Zhou Junzhi swallowed his anger and waited until the three of them were far away before Li Ping'an smiled and said, "A person who doesn't attract jealousy is mediocre. The more this happens, the more we need to stay calm. Right now, the most important thing is to solve those problems. As long as we do things well, he will have nothing to say."

Zhou Junzhi took a deep breath, nodded, and the anger in his eyes gradually turned into fighting spirit.

Li Pingfu's expression was solemn. Although he had become an "official" and brought benefits to the people, Liang Xianguan had become increasingly dissatisfied with them in recent years. This immortal was too controlling and could not tolerate any disobedience.

Not to mention that when the Li brothers eliminated the Zhou family, Liang Xianguan did not outwardly object, but he may have had his own opinions.

However, due to Li Pingfu's innate realm and the Mu family behind Li Ping'an, they held back and did not act.

It seems the plan will have to be moved up.

………………

The night was as dark as ink, and a deadly intent lurked beneath.

According to Zhou Tong's plan, the gang's elite were divided into two groups, like two poisoned daggers, silently stabbing at the Li family and Li Pingfu's brothers.

Li Yuan and Li Chao were walking on a secluded path.

"Chaozi, the wind today is a bit strange."

Li Yuan squinted as he scanned the silent woods on both sides of the road. Years of experience in the martial world had honed him to be exceptionally vigilant.

Upon hearing this, Li Chao calmly replied, "I also feel that someone is watching us."

The two exchanged a glance; their years of tacit understanding had rendered them speechless. They continued walking calmly down the road, but their figures suddenly disappeared behind a tall tree.

"Where is the person? Why is he missing?"

The two elite spies on watch felt a jolt of fear and quickly followed, standing under the tree and looking back and forth.

In the next instant, two figures descended from the sky like cheetahs. Li Yuan threw a punch straight at the face of the first man. Li Chao followed closely behind, protecting Li Yuan's flank, and swept the man down with a leg sweep.

The two worked together seamlessly, one attacking and the other defending.

Although the two men from that gang were both skilled, the truly formidable masters were not present. And against seasoned镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) like Li Yuan and Li Chao, the qi-blood martial artist appeared riddled with weaknesses.

"boom!"

Seeing that the man had been knocked down by Li Chao, Li Yuan's Black Tiger Fist slammed into his shoulder blade, a powerful punch that dented his chest and caused him to spit out blood.

The remaining man was horrified when he saw this. He hadn't expected that these two bodyguards would not only be so perceptive in detecting them, but also so fierce and ruthless.

"We'd better run!"

He made a quick decision, feinted an attack, and turned to flee into the forest.

"Want to leave? Have you asked me?"

Li Yuan sneered, exerted force with his feet, and increased his speed exponentially, chasing after the man like a shadow, and punched him in the back.

The man's body stiffened instantly, and he fell straight down.

Moments later, the battle ended.

Li Yuan and Li Chao were covered in dust as they searched the body, but found nothing that could identify them.

"I should have spared them." Li Chao said with some regret, "Brother Yuan, these people are of unknown origin and are ruthless. They're probably after us."

“It can’t be kept.” Li Yuan pried open the corpse’s teeth and found two poison pills hidden there. Once tortured, the corpse would commit suicide.

It would be too difficult for them to capture two masters of agility without harming them.

The slightest mistake could lead to a life-or-death situation.

There's no need to take this risk.

Li Yuan's expression was grave: "Dispose of the body first, then return to the county town immediately. We must inform Brother Pingfu about this matter right away!"

…………

On the other hand, Zhang Hua and Miao Kai faced an even more perilous situation.

Although Zhang Hua's martial arts skills were mediocre, he was shrewd and adept at underhanded tactics. When he realized he was being followed, he didn't make a sound. Instead, as he passed a corner near a teahouse, he flicked a handful of white powder from his pocket. The follower instinctively closed his eyes and swung his knife, but little did he know that the powder wasn't poison, but ordinary lime powder—just a feint.

The real killer move was the potent sleeping potion that Zhang Hua had hidden in his other hand, the bottle of which had already been uncorked.

Taking advantage of the moment when the other person's vision was obstructed, Zhang Hua smashed the bottle of sleeping pills hard into the other person's face.

"Hey, you guys are still too green to try and play dirty tricks on Grandpa!"

Emerging from the shadows, Zhang Hua spat at the unconscious man and, without hesitation, stabbed him twice in the heart. Then, without lingering, he fled the scene as fast as he could.

Miao Kai's situation was much more dangerous. After discovering he was being followed, he took the initiative, but due to his limited talent and poor martial arts skills, he failed to injure his opponent's vitals and instead lost the initiative.

Within just a few moves, he was in grave danger, with several bloody cuts slashing his body.

He knew he had no chance of survival, and a resolute glint flashed in his eyes.

"If you want to kill me, you'll have to pay with your life!"

Miao Kai let out a roar, abandoning all defense and letting the opponent's long sword pierce his chest.

The moment the opponent's long knife pierced his body, he used his last bit of strength to hold onto the opponent's body tightly and bit down hard on the opponent's carotid artery!

"madman!"

The man was shocked. He hadn't expected that this seemingly weakest guy would be so fierce. He stabbed Miao Kai in the abdomen again, but it was to no avail. He felt a heart-wrenching pain in his neck.

"puff!"

With his last ounce of strength, Miao Kai spat the flesh and blood he had bitten off and his throat onto the ground.

His body was riddled with bloody holes, blood gushing out, and a hint of gleeful laughter filled his eyes as he slumped to the ground along with the man in black.

………………

Peach Blossom Village.

As the sun sets and wisps of smoke rise from chimneys, the entire village is enveloped in a peaceful atmosphere.

Two figures, like ghosts blending into the twilight, silently lurked on a hillside outside the village, using the dense grass to spy on the Li family mansion in the distance.

These two men were none other than Kong Wu and Huang Baotian, the formidable warriors sent by Zhou Tong, the leader of the Blood River Gang.

Kong Wu was short and stocky, with an unremarkable appearance, but he had mastered an unparalleled skill of concealment – ​​the Turtle Breathing Technique.

Once activated, he can reduce his breathing and heart rate to a minimum, becoming like a lifeless rock, blending into the surrounding environment and becoming extremely difficult to detect.

Huang Baotian, on the other hand, was a tall and thin man. His "Hidden Shadow Technique" was even more bizarre, allowing him to subtly adjust the color and aura of his clothing according to the light and shadow and the environment, creating a visual illusion for people, as if he were a shadow in the night.

The two worked together seamlessly, making them an excellent combination for reconnaissance and stealth.

As they crept in on foot, they silently hid in a lush locust tree not far from the Li family's house and began to observe without restraint.

"Tsk tsk, this Li family compound is quite impressive. I wonder how much silver they have hidden there."

Huang Baotian lowered his voice, his eyes filled with greed, "Once we catch that old bastard, the silver in the house might just be ours."

"Stop your nonsense and get a clear picture of the situation."

Kong Wu was more cautious. He used the Turtle Breathing Technique, making his whole body seem to blend into the shadow of the tree.

Huang Baotian ignored them, grinned slyly, and commented, "Look, isn't that a servant of the Li family? Hey, you know what, that little maid's butt sways when she walks, it's quite perky."

"Let's get down to business first." Kong Wu said helplessly in a low voice, "Once this is done, won't we brothers be able to do whatever we want with this maid?"

Confident in their superior stealth skills and seeing Peach Blossom Village as nothing more than an ordinary village with lax defenses, the two had completely let their guard down. They were completely unaware that their every move had already fallen into the sharp, weathered eyes of a seasoned eagle.

Those eyes belong to Li Rongzhou.

Since his sons took on high positions, he has become more vigilant.

On the surface, he looked no different from any other ordinary farmer in the village, with a relaxed expression, his eyes slightly closed as if he were dozing off, completely unaware of what was happening outside.

In fact, ever since he entered the Divine Fiend Realm, especially after years of practicing the "Tree Breath" taught by his son, his six senses had become incredibly sharp. No discordant movement in the air could escape his perception.

He had accurately detected those two faint, bloodthirsty, probing gazes from the very beginning.

'Level 1 of the Divine Fiend Realm?'

Li Rongzhou chuckled inwardly, 'His aura is weak, his foundation unstable, yet he dares to act wildly in my Li family?'

He slowly stood up, pretending to go to the backyard to relieve himself, and walked step by step towards the direction where the two spies were hiding.

His mind raced with calculations. The other party was quite adept at hiding; clearly a repeat offender, someone must be behind him.

'We can't alert them; we have to capture them alive.'

Kong Wu and Huang Baotian were having a lively conversation when they suddenly saw Li Rongguang walking towards them. They quickly stopped talking, lowered their bodies, and suppressed their breathing to the extreme.

"Just an old guy, probably out to pee," Huang Baotian said nonchalantly via telepathy.

"Don't be careless," Kong Wu said, but he didn't really take it seriously.

However, the moment Li Rongzhou's figure was obscured by a clump of bushes, his slow footsteps suddenly disappeared!

Five Spirits Play - Crane Play!
His movements became light and silent, like a crane strolling through the forest, without making a sound, and he quietly circled around to the back of the two.

Immediately, the tiger-shaped attack, filled with ferocity and rage, was unstoppable!

"who!?"

Kong Wu and Huang Baotian were indeed masters of concealment. The moment Li Rongzhou landed, they finally sensed a deadly danger and turned around abruptly.

However, it's too late.

All they saw was a huge fist, accompanied by the sound of thunder and lightning, rapidly enlarging before their eyes.

"Bang! Bang!"

With two muffled thuds, Li Rongzhou unleashed two seemingly ordinary straight punches, each containing the powerful internal energy of a peak-level Divine Fiend Realm expert, striking the two men precisely in the chest.

Before Kong Wu and Huang Baotian could even be shocked or utter a scream, they felt as if they had been struck hard in the chest by a battering ram. Their vision went black, and they instantly lost consciousness.

Li Rongzhou grabbed one of them with each hand and dragged them into the woodshed like dead dogs.

Instead of waking them, he went back into the house and, from a hidden corner, took out a ceramic jar.

Inside the jar, several brightly colored mushrooms emitted a unique aroma.

This is a "treasure" left by the youngest son, Pingcan. A golden eagle delivers it to him every day, and he is instructed not to use it unless absolutely necessary.

Li Rongzhou broke off two small pieces and roughly stuffed them into the mouths of the two men.

Not long after, Kong Wu and Huang Baotian slowly woke up. They looked at the calm farmer in front of them, their eyes filled with shock and confusion, which then turned into bewilderment and dazedness.

This hallucinogenic mushroom lacks the exquisite guidance of Li Pingcan and cannot construct complex illusions, but its "truth-revealing" effect is unparalleled in its domineering power.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Li Rongzhou's voice was devoid of any emotion.

“We…are from the Blood River Gang…” Kong Wu murmured, his eyes unfocused. “Master Zhou…Master Zhou sent us…to scout the place, to prepare for…kidnapping…”

Through his fragmented answers, a vicious conspiracy gradually became clear to Li Rongzhou.

He listened quietly, his expression growing colder, his eyes red with anger.

"What a Blood River Gang! What a Zhou Tong!"

He spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice filled with barely suppressed anger.

The dragon has reverse scales, which will kill you if you touch it.

Family is the Achilles' heel that Li Rongzhou has protected throughout his life.

He didn't ask any further questions; the information he had obtained was enough. With Ping An there, the truth would be revealed.

Looking at the two useless people on the ground who were still babbling, a cold, undisguised murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

"puff!"

"puff!"

Li Rongzhou raised his palm and angrily brought it down, and the two huge heads exploded like two watermelons, with juice splashing everywhere!

(End of this chapter)