Druid Fairy

Chapter 125 My Son Has Grown Up

Emerald Dream.

Li Pingcan studied the newly acquired "merit" and felt the strong power of fortune, pondering for a long time.

"Since this druidic dojo can divert the dynasty's fortune, then... could I disguise it as part of the dynasty's fortune?"

The dynasty's dragon energy system, perfected over thousands of years, has become a self-contained and extremely powerful system. Any intrusion of foreign energy will be detected and suppressed instantly.

The reason his druidic monastery remained unscathed was entirely due to the isolation provided by the Emerald Dream and the purification by the "Heart of the Holy Lotus," which allowed him to "intercept" the flow of energy without anyone noticing.

Being able to actively disguise oneself and blend in are two completely different concepts.

"The risks are high, but the rewards are even greater!"

Li Pingcan's eyes flickered slightly, and he quickly made up his mind.

Liang Zhiyuan's threat was like a thorn in my side. Rather than passively waiting for the other party to make a move, I might as well take the initiative and stir up the waters even more.

With a thought, he mobilized the power of the entire Emerald Dream, using the white jade lotus as the core, and began to carefully analyze and imitate the "Dynastic Dragon Aura" that he was already extremely familiar with.

The process went even more smoothly than he had imagined.

Perhaps it was because his dojo had already stolen and transformed some of the dragon energy, or perhaps the treasure "Sacred Lotus Heart" itself contained some kind of rule power.

When he simulated the operation of dragon energy with his pure natural power and then covered it with a shell of "the power of all people's thoughts", a miracle occurred.

The "merit and fortune" generated by the temple actually simulated an aura that was indistinguishable from the dragon aura of the dynasty!
Although there are still some differences in purity, for "custodians" like Liang Zhiyuan who only know the result but not the reason, it is already difficult to distinguish between the real and the fake.

Overjoyed, Li Pingcan immediately manipulated the disguised "dragon energy" and slowly "returned" it to the fortune system of Yunshui County, following its original trajectory.

…………

The back hall of the county government office.

Liang Zhiyuan, who was sighing and looking worried in front of the "Yunshui Mirror", suddenly exclaimed "Eh!" and stood up abruptly, his face filled with disbelief.

"You're back? This...how is this possible?!"

He could clearly feel that the luck that had "disappeared" had actually returned!
That familiar feeling of the power of the masses' thoughts, it can't be wrong.

Liang Zhiyuan was completely bewildered.

He rubbed his eyes and pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"What exactly happened? Could it be that I was wrong before? Was it that old dog Zhao Wuyou's last-ditch counterattack that temporarily disrupted the earth's veins, and only now has it returned to normal?"

The thought crossed his mind, but he immediately dismissed it.

No! Absolutely not! That feeling of being cut off was so real, it was no illusion!

"But if it's not an illusion, why has this fortune returned? Could it be that the guy who secretly made the move realized I'm not someone to be trifled with, and backed down, voluntarily returning the fortune?"

Liang Zhiyuan became increasingly agitated as he thought about it, feeling as if his mind was about to get tangled up.

He was like a farmer guarding his melon patch, watching helplessly as a thief stole his melons, only for the thief to return them intact the next day, even watering them for him.

What is this called!
They've almost driven him crazy!
"My lord! My lord!"

Just as he was racking his brains trying to figure it out, the county magistrate came running in, his face full of panic.

"The brothers we sent to raid the Li family's shops were all stopped by the Mu family's guards! Even the salt and iron shops in the south of the city are closed today!"

"What!?"

Upon hearing this, Liang Zhiyuan became even angrier and slammed his hand on the table, causing the teacup to shake violently.

He originally intended to use the raid on the Li family to establish his authority and to give a warning to those disobedient forces in the city. However, he did not expect to see the Li family's reaction, but instead, he was met with the Mu family's counterattack!

And every single move hit his vital spot!
Salt, iron, cloth, and grain—these are all vital to the stability of the county and its tax revenue!
"Well done, Li Ping'an! Well done, Mu family! Are they trying to sabotage me?!"

Liang Zhiyuan was trembling with anger. He was now beset by internal and external troubles and was in a state of utter distress. On one side was the elusive and unpredictable "Luck Thief," and on the other side was the pressure from the Mu family.

For the first time, he felt that being a county magistrate was so frustrating.

Although he was burning with rage and wished he could immediately lead his men to raze the Li family to the ground, reason told him that now was not the time to break off relations.

The Mu family is not to be trifled with, and the unexplained problem of "luck" makes him even more hesitant to act rashly.

"That's it! That's it!"

After a long silence, Liang Zhiyuan slumped back into his chair, waving his hand weakly. "Release them! Have the county magistrate return the shop to them! Tell Li Ping'an that it was all a misunderstanding!"

He thought to himself with indignation: 'The Li family! You ungrateful wretches! Just wait, this matter is far from over. When I have the time, I will make you understand what it means to be a powerful official!'

…………

The Li Family Mansion.

When the news came that the manager and employees of the Li family, whose businesses had been raided, returned with bruises and swelling, and that the shop had reopened, the entire Li family breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Ping'an smiled and said, "It seems we made the right move this time."

Li Pingfu also relaxed, knowing that Xie Xiaodao and his brothers were among those detained, and even if they had been bribed, they might have still suffered some hardship.

"Big brother, second brother, although Liang Zhiyuan has temporarily backed down, he will never give up easily," Li Pingcan reminded them.

"Don't worry." Li Pingfu nodded. He had quietly recalled the elites from the escort agency and martial arts school to protect his family.

The family discussed a few more details before going their separate ways.

Under the pavilion, several children were chasing and playing, keeping the previous storms and rains outside the Li family compound.

Li Yuanhu is now twelve years old. He is half a head taller than his peers, with a strong and well-proportioned physique, and his whole body is full of the vigorous power of a young man growing up.

He was practicing the moves from the "Five Elements Body Forging Technique" with great vigor. Every move he made carried a fierce and domineering aura, showing some of the style of Li Pingfu in his youth, making people sigh that the student has surpassed the teacher.

Li Pingcan watched, nodding secretly: 'Tiger Cub's innate martial physique is truly an excellent constitution for cultivating body-tempering techniques. Although he lacks spiritual roots, if he tempers his physical body to its limit, he might very well forge a path to overcome all techniques with martial arts. However, his temperament still needs tempering; he's somewhat too forceful and inflexible.'

On the other side, Li Nianhe sat quietly on the stone bench, holding an abacus in her small hands and muttering to herself.

Several thick ledgers were laid out in front of her, her small brows slightly furrowed, as she was helping Jiang Ling'er check the shop's accounts.

“Aunt, the accounts of the South Street Silk Shop for last month are not right. The price of the brocade purchased was half a percent higher than the market price, and the quantity delivered to the warehouse is also three bolts less.” She raised her head and said crisply.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ling'er took the ledger and, sure enough, discovered the problem. She was both surprised and delighted: "My goodness, Nianhe, how is your brain structured? I've been looking at such complicated accounts for ages and it's giving me a headache, but you spotted the problem at a glance?"

Li Nianhe smiled somewhat sheepishly. She had no interest in fighting or killing, and only practiced martial arts to improve her health, but she possessed an innate sensitivity to numbers. No matter how complex the accounts, they were all crystal clear in her eyes.

Beside her, seven-year-old Li Yuanxi was also holding a small abacus, fiddling with it with great seriousness, and saying confidently, "Sister, I've figured it out! There's a shortfall of twenty-three taels and four mace of silver in the account!"

Both children were quite talented in arithmetic and had quiet and steady personalities. They had the best relationship among the children and often got together to study novel algorithms.

As for Li Mengze and Li Mengjin, they are both incredibly easy to manage.

Li Mengze is already five years old, but his temperament is so calm that he doesn't seem like a child at all.

He rarely spoke, but when he did, his words were always concise and to the point. He kept the "secret" firmly in mind and never revealed his extraordinary abilities to outsiders. Even his personal maidservant only said, "Young Master is mature beyond his years," unaware that he could discern good from evil.

Li Mengjingang turned one year old and could already crawl around unsteadily. His personality was completely opposite to his older brother's; he was lively and active, always smiling at everyone, and like Xiao Hei, he especially loved shiny things. He wielded a small, gold-plated blunt sword with remarkable skill, even managing to draw out a faint trace of sharp metal energy.

My second brother's youngest son, Li Nianjun, is now four years old. He hasn't shown any special talents, but he is gentle and likes to follow his older brothers and sisters around. He is a well-behaved little tagalong.

Looking at these little ones, Li Pingcan felt a sense of pride, like "my children are growing up."

He walked up to Li Yuanhu and said with a smile, "Tiger boy, it's not enough to just train your strength. Come on, your third uncle will teach you a move called 'The Spirit Ape Steals Peaches'."

"Brother! I want to learn too!" Li Nianjun ran over excitedly.

"Okay, everyone come and learn."

Under the sunlight, an adult and three children played and frolicked in the yard.

The laughter was crisp and clear, carrying far and wide.

The air pressure in the back hall of Yunshui County Government Office has recently dropped so low that it could freeze.

Ever since that ill-fated blessing ceremony that ended in failure and resulted in both loss and defeat, Liang Zhiyuan's temper has become increasingly eccentric.

He locked himself in his study all day, sighing and lamenting over the "Cloud and Water Mirror," his eyes filled with a melancholy comparable to that of a wronged woman and an inescapable suspicion.

He even felt that the entire Yunshui County, from the roof tiles to the ants in the cracks of the ground, was against him and wanted to harm him.

"There are always troublemakers trying to harm me!"

He muttered to himself, his fingers nervously tapping the table.

On that day at the altar, his vow power was "intercepted" in front of everyone. This incident was like a thorn, deeply embedded in his heart, leaving him no peace day or night.

He racked his brains but couldn't figure out who had the audacity to snatch food from the jaws of a tiger right under his nose, a high-ranking official of the imperial court.

The Li family? Although one brother was skilled in martial arts and the other was successful in officialdom, they were ultimately just ordinary people. How could they possess such unpredictable and supernatural abilities?

The Mu family? Possibly! They might possess some shady, evil magical artifacts. But what are they after? Would they dare openly provoke a celestial official and steal the dynasty's fortune just to stand up for their son-in-law? The price is far too high.

Or is it the lingering ghost of that old dog from the Zhao family? That old scoundrel Zhao Wuyou tricked him before he died; who knows if he left behind any vicious tricks?

The longer time passed, the more Liang Zhiyuan saw everyone as a thief.

He felt that the soup the cook in the manor was too salty today, and that the cook was trying to poison him with a slow poison.

The night patrolman glanced at him again, trying to probe his true intentions.

Even the magpie chirping merrily outside the window sounded to him like it was mocking him, the county magistrate.

The phrase "seeing enemies everywhere" is practically tailor-made for him.

The pressure exerted by the Mu family was like a dull knife cutting into his flesh; it wasn't fatal, but it left him overwhelmed with worry every day.

Prices in the city soared, and public discontent grew. In the end, it was up to him, the county magistrate, to clean up this mess.

But lately, the two brothers from the Li family have been behaving so "well-behaved" that even he finds it abnormal. Li Pingfu spends all his time training in the police camp, while Li Ping'an buries himself in documents and becomes increasingly obedient to him.

But the more this happened, the more uneasy Liang Zhiyuan felt.

"No, we can't just sit here and wait to die!"

If this continues, he'll lose his official position sooner or later!
In this daily self-torture, Liang Zhiyuan remembered the "Martial God's Treasure Map" that he had kept hidden at the bottom of a box.

That was a map he obtained from Zhao Wuyou's belongings, a map recording the inheritance of ancient body-refining masters.

Initially, he was skeptical. But now, in this desperate situation beset by internal and external troubles, the map has become his only lifeline.

"If I can discover an important treasure, it can be transformed into a great achievement, and my official position will remain as stable as Mount Tai."

He set up several arrays, which made him feel much more at ease. He lit a "Night-Illuminating Talisman" and began to search through ancient books.

From the "Yunshui County Annals" to various miscellaneous anecdotes and unofficial histories, every place name and every mark on the map is matched with historical records.

"Old Yin Mountain, an ancient battlefield... That's right. Ancient records state that a large army from a previous dynasty fought a bloody battle here, massacring 100,000 people. The resentment soared to the heavens and has not dissipated for a thousand years..."

"The identity of this Martial God is unknown, but he certainly existed. Legend has it that he attained enlightenment through martial arts, achieving physical sainthood, and once single-handedly fought against three thousand demon soldiers with only a spear..."

He pieced together the chain of evidence bit by bit. In his mind, the authenticity of the map was beyond doubt.

An overwhelming surge of joy instantly dispelled the gloom of the past few days.

"Heaven hasn't forsaken me! Heaven hasn't forsaken me!"

Liang Zhiyuan trembled with excitement. He seemed to see himself receiving the inheritance, soaring to great heights, becoming His Majesty's right-hand man, and wielding great power.

This minor county magistrate position is better off quitting; I'm tired of it!

But after the initial euphoria, he quickly calmed down.

Old Yin Mountain was infamous, and even he dared not venture there lightly.

The place was filled with a heavy aura of yin and evil; if an ordinary cultivator went in, he probably wouldn't even know how he died.

"Yin Sha... Yin Soldiers!"

A flash of inspiration struck Liang Zhiyuan, and he instantly grasped the key point.

Since it is an ancient battlefield, those entrenched there must be "ghost soldiers" formed by the lingering resentment of those who died on the battlefield!
These things are troublesome, but not insurmountable.

He thought of another "privilege" he had as a celestial official.

In the system of the Great Yu Dynasty, in addition to salaries and official prestige, there was also a hidden "merit exchange system." Officials could use their accumulated achievements over the years to exchange for magical treasures, elixirs, or even the inheritance of secret techniques that were not commonly found on the market.

Although Liang Zhiyuan has not been a particularly upright and just official over the years, he has worked diligently and has accumulated a considerable amount of merit.

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately passed through the official seal and entered the mysterious "treasure trove of merits".

After expending almost enormous achievements and paying a "price" that would have been more than enough for Li Ping'an to be promoted, he finally got what he had always dreamed of.

A token that is completely black, cold to the touch, and engraved with a hideous ghost head—the Yin Soldier Token!

This token was crafted using a secret imperial method, specifically designed to counter the battlefield's malevolent energy and ghostly soldiers. Holding this token not only protects against the corrosive influence of Yin energy, but also grants absolute suppression over low-level Yin soldiers, and even... the ability to command them!

Although it hurts, as long as I inherit the Martial God's legacy, I can make up for those achievements at any time.

"Haha, everything is ready, we just need the right opportunity!"

Holding the Yin Soldier Token, Liang Zhiyuan felt himself instantly regain his powers.

His heart, which had been tormented by suspicion and fear and was almost withered, began to swell again.

"With the imperial dragon's aura protecting me, I am immune to all evil. And with this Yin Soldier Token in hand, I can command ghost soldiers. This mere Old Yin Mountain is nothing more than my backyard!"

He was bursting with confidence, as if he had already become the protagonist holding the script.

Over the next few days, he began secret and thorough preparations.

He first announced that he was closing his doors to visitors, citing "ill health and the need for rest," and pushed all the administrative affairs to the county magistrate and Li Ping'an, creating an environment for himself that would not be disturbed.

He then used a puppetry technique to disguise himself as someone in the county government office. As long as there was no battle or a Foundation Establishment expert's divine sense probe, no one would discover anything amiss.

Then he dug out all his most treasured possessions from his private stash.

A "Golden Light Talisman" capable of withstanding a full-force attack from a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, three bottles of "Rejuvenation Pills" that can save lives in critical moments, and a "Seven-Star Peach Wood Sword" blessed by a master specifically for warding off evil spirits...

He also crafted a portable sword formation, using the Seven Star Peach Wood Sword as the main sword. When a thousand swords are unleashed together, they exude a majestic and righteous aura that can withstand the yin winds.

He even specially prepared an inconspicuous set of coarse linen clothes and a straw hat that could cover most of his face, disguising himself as an ordinary mountain dweller who went into the mountains to collect herbs.

He considered every detail to the extreme, even pre-planning three escape routes.

He trusted no one but himself and Old Wu, whom he controlled with pills. Essentially, this also meant he only trusted his own methods.

After doing all this, he stood in front of the bronze mirror, a sinister smirk on his face.

"The Li family, the Mu family, and that rat lurking in the shadows, you just wait for me."

"When I return from Laoyin Mountain, your deaths will be imminent!"

He carefully hid all his magical treasures and elixirs on his person, changed into an inconspicuous hempen robe, put on a bamboo hat, and finally held the cold "Yin Soldier Token" tightly in his hand.

The night was as dark as ink, and dark clouds pressed down on the moon.

Liang Zhiyuan left the backyard of the county government office quietly, perfectly avoiding everyone's sight.

(End of this chapter)