Druid Fairy

Chapter 98 Eliminating the Zhou Family
Li Pingcan was completely satisfied.

Qin An's intelligence was a favor to his second brother, ensuring a smooth and stable future for him.

Su Meiniang's secrets were invaluable to him, serving as a crucial source of early-stage cultivation resources.

And that book, "The Desire Sutra of the Joyful Heaven".

"This seductive technique is useless against me, but it would probably be an irresistible temptation for that nine-tailed spirit fox on Mount Ling. Although spirit beasts cannot cultivate human secret techniques, they can still gain new insights by analogy. Exchanging it for some rare and precious materials would be a huge profit."

After the interrogation ended, the effects of the hallucinogenic mushroom gradually wore off.

Qin An and Su Meiniang slowly woke up. They looked around blankly. The memories of the illusion receded like the tide, but left indelible marks.

Looking at the smiling boy before them, an indescribable fear rose from the deepest part of their hearts, like stray dogs.

"The potential problems should be resolved completely in one go."

Qin An's eyes were bloodshot as he threatened, "The Zhou family won't let you off the hook, and don't you want to know who's backing me?"

Before he could finish speaking, Li Pingcan smiled and said, "The Wusheng Sect? I already knew about it."

He ignored Qin An's astonishment and Su Meiniang's pleas.

Li Pingcan stood up, and a ball of fire lit up the cave, completely extinguishing all traces.

…………

Li Pingfu's face was grave. "Young man, I never expected that seeking a military post would cause so many troubles."

"Brother, you are mistaken."

Li Pingcan was arguably one of the people who understood Li Pingfu the most. He could tell at a glance what his elder brother was thinking and comforted him, saying, "If you didn't seek a military position, how would you know that Qin An was a member of the Wusheng Sect?"
The Wusheng Sect's actions this time are too grandiose; they even dare to interfere in the county government affairs. Their ambitions must be considerable. If we refrain from vying for military positions in the county government for fear of causing trouble, we won't even know where the 'disaster' came from when it strikes.”

He actually had a faint guess in his heart: in recent years, cults have been making more and more frequent moves, and the government is not as swift as before. Why is that?

Is the dynasty lacking in fortune? Or is something else holding the court back?

"Young man, you're right."

Listening to his younger brother's words, Li Pingfu thought of his family's escape from famine years ago.

As a child, I thought it was a natural disaster, but as I grew up, I realized it was a "divine calamity." If my father had also held a military position, he might have been able to escape unscathed earlier...

Upon realizing this, Li Pingfu suddenly understood and no longer hesitated.

…………

That night.

Li Pingfu copied down the two burning "confessions" and handed them over to Li Pingan overnight.

Under the moonlight, the two brothers sat facing each other.

Li Ping'an turned the pages one by one, his expression gradually shifting from solemnity to a chilling sneer. For the first time, a deep and sharp look, incongruous with his age, appeared on his usually gentle and refined scholarly face.

"The Wusheng Sect...the Zhou family...Qin An..."

He gently put down the paper in his hand, his knuckles tapping silently on the table, making a dull sound.

"What a Zhou family! They usually consider themselves a century-old aristocratic family, but behind the scenes they've been colluding with such evil and heretical sects." Li Ping'an's voice was soft, but his eyes were cold.

If the guest elder is a member of a cult, how can the Zhou family be without fault?

According to Qin An's confession, he was not the only evil member of the "Wu Sheng Sect" in the Zhou family.

This collateral branch of the Zhou family, relying on the influence of Liang Xianguan, rose to prominence and became the only powerful clan in Yunshui County. They became increasingly ruthless and did countless evil deeds, far more cruel and domineering than the original direct line of the Zhou family, committing numerous illegal acts.

Li Ping'an had collected a lot of evidence of "bullying men and women" on a regular basis, but Liang Xianguan suppressed it all and even gave him a warning. He understood at that time that even if he wanted to do something good for the people, he had to plan carefully with his meager strength.

Now that the Zhou family is involved in a "cult" and crucial evidence has been obtained, it's no longer something a mere county magistrate can suppress.

Li Pingfu noticed the murderous aura in his second brother's eyes. After these years of training, this kid was indeed no longer the boy who only buried himself in his studies. His decisiveness and ruthlessness, hidden deep in his bones, would turn into the sharpest blade once his bottom line was crossed.

"What do you plan to do?" Li Pingfu asked.

Li Ping'an's lips curled into a smile, a smile that carried a hint of the strategic brilliance unique to scholars. "To deal with such deeply entrenched aristocratic families, you can't rely on fists alone. You have to kill them, but you also have to destroy their spirit. I want to make sure that the Zhou family falls clearly, falls in a way that convinces everyone, falls... so that they can never rise again."

He stood up and paced around the room, his mind racing, and a series of precise plans were already taking shape.

"This confession is our weapon, but we cannot reveal it directly."

Li Ping'an said calmly, "Brother, you may not know this, but the reason why Immortal Liang tolerates the Zhou family is simply because the Zhou family is 'obedient and compliant'."

However, if he were to learn that the Zhou family was colluding with evil cultivators and plotting to harm candidates for official positions, as long as the evidence was conclusive, the celestial official would want to kill the Zhou family more than anyone else, eliminating them as soon as possible to avoid affecting his 'political achievements'.

"Once Liang Xian Guan makes his move, it will be with overwhelming force; the Zhou family will surely perish!"

Those letters and tokens, of course, do not exist.

But Li Pingcan possessed the [Hallucinogenic Mushroom] and had already had Qin An personally "write" several letters for him.

"At that time, with witnesses and physical evidence, the Zhou family's crime of colluding with a cult will become an ironclad case! Not only will no one be able to overturn their case, but even forces that are on good terms with them will avoid them like the plague, for fear of getting involved in the slightest."

Li Ping'an's tone was calm, yet it seemed as if he could already foresee the Zhou family's destruction: "By leveraging the power of the government and the people, we will nail them to the pillar of shame."

Li Pingfu was deeply impressed.

He excelled at using brute force to overcome skill, while his younger brother excelled at using skill to overcome great strength. The two brothers, one open and one covert, one scholarly and one martial, were truly a match made in heaven.

"Go ahead and do it, I believe in you," Li Pingfu said.

"Good! When we brothers are of one mind, our strength can break even metal!"

Li Ping'an took a deep breath, his gaze resolute. In this world, the only people he could entrust his back to without reservation were his own family.

…………

The Li family in Peach Blossom Village.

After killing the man, Li Pingcan leisurely returned to his own courtyard.

The front panel jumps and floats.

[You've successfully planted 20000 saplings, raising your Druid level to LV7!]

You have gained 2 points for leveling up.

You've learned a new skill: Animal Companion.

"Animal friends!"

Li Pingcan's spirits lifted.

[Animal Companion: You can form an equal soul contract with a wild beast or spirit beast, making it your loyal companion. After the contract, you will share senses and be telepathically connected. Furthermore, you will be able to borrow one of its innate abilities to a limited extent.]

This skill was practically tailor-made for him.

Shared talents mean that he can acquire various powerful abilities depending on his partners!

"We must choose carefully now."

Li Pingcan quickly considered the options in his mind and finally decided to put it aside for the time being.

Logically speaking, among the animal companions we've encountered so far, the Azure Dragon undoubtedly has the greatest potential.

However, the two are so close that they're practically inseparable, and contracting a spirit beast would essentially occupy a "contract slot," which isn't really worth it.

"Let's take another look! The type of talent the spirit beast possesses is also very important."

Making a partnership is a big deal and must be done with utmost care. You must choose one with the greatest potential and who is the best fit for you.

Next, Li Pingcan turned his attention to the two precious points for upgrading the ring.

Without any hesitation, he immediately added one point to [Increase Resistance].

The text on the panel blurred and changed.

[Resistance has been upgraded to: Elemental Absorption]

[Elemental Absorption: Your resistance to all elemental damage is greatly increased. Furthermore, when attacked by elemental forces, you can convert 10% of the damage into mana and resistance (temporarily). This conversion effect increases with your Druid level.]

"Great!"

Li Pingcan looked excited; this was simply divine skill!

In the future, when he clashes with magic cultivators, he will be a perpetual motion machine. The harder the opponent attacks, the faster his mana bar recovers and the higher his resistance becomes. He is simply a nightmare for all magic cultivators!

After calming his excitement, he used his last few points on [Breath of the Tree].

This is the foundation upon which he makes his living and the cornerstone for the long-term development of the entire family, so it must be prioritized for strengthening.

[The Breath of the Tree has been upgraded to the next level, gaining new traits: Endless Life and Enduring Legacy.]

[Endless Vitality: Increases the recovery speed of your mana and stamina. Furthermore, your breath contains a faint life force, which can slowly heal injuries and purify the body of toxins and impurities.] [Long-lasting Legacy: Enhances lifespan extension. At max level, it can extend lifespan to 500 years. Moreover, you can pass this technique on to your blood relatives to grant them some of the lifespan extension effect (max level one Tree Breath can extend lifespan by another 200 years)].

Li Pingcan's breath hitched; he was incredibly excited.

This has already exceeded the lifespan of the vast majority of Foundation Establishment cultivators!
More importantly, family members can also benefit from this.

"At this rate, even my mother, who has only mastered Tree Breathing to the lowest level and is only at the second level, could live to be 150!"

What could be happier than spending time with family?
"Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, Second Brother... Our family can stay together forever, for a very, very long time..."

He never forgot why he cultivated immortality; immortality was never the ultimate goal, but rather a means to protect his family.

…………

The next day, a meticulously worded and well-supported secret report quietly appeared on the desk of Liang Xianguan, the magistrate of Yunshui County.

Looking at the secret report, Liang Xianguan frowned and coldly shouted, "Useless trash! You're utterly worthless!"

I knew the Zhou family was useless, but I never expected them to be so foolish as to dare to dabble in a cult.

However, Li Ping'an is indeed a talented person for collecting such comprehensive evidence.

A hint of apprehension flashed across his eyes. After a moment's hesitation, he said:

"Let Li Ping'an take some men to the Zhou family."

At a single command, the county government's soldiers and constables poured out, rushing towards the Zhou family mansion like wolves and tigers.

A somber atmosphere permeated the area in front of the Zhou family mansion.

A hundred elite county government soldiers drew their swords and spears, their blades gleaming coldly.

Behind them, Li Ping'an, dressed in a blue official robe, held a scroll of documents stamped with the county magistrate's seal, his face calm, with Li Pingfu standing beside him.

"Boom boom boom!"

The heavy banging on the door broke the early morning.

The gates of the Zhou family slowly opened, and the clan patriarch, Zhou Shan, walked out with an impatient expression, followed by a group of servants and guards.

When he saw the scene outside the door, he was first stunned, then a mocking sneer appeared on his face.

"Who do you think it is? It's Clerk Li."

Zhou Shan spoke in a sarcastic tone, his gaze passing over the imposing Li Pingfu and landing directly on Li Ping'an, his tone extremely contemptuous.

This old rival is too familiar to us! He's caused trouble for the Zhou family time and time again!

"Li Ping'an, you've really grown some guts. You got into officialdom through a woman, and now you think you're someone important? You led soldiers to surround my Zhou residence. You're such a social climber, trying to settle personal scores in public office?"

Li Ping'an remained calm and his voice was steady and clear: "Zhou Shan, we are here on the orders of the county magistrate to investigate the case of your Zhou family colluding with the Wusheng Sect sorcerers in an attempt to assassinate an official of the imperial court. We request that you surrender and come with us to the yamen for investigation."

"Hahahaha!"

Zhou Shan seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world. He pointed at Li Ping'an and shouted to the neighbors who had come to investigate:

"Listen to this, everyone! A nobody from humble beginnings, who got a minor official position through nepotism, dares to accuse a century-old family of colluding with a cult! It's utterly ridiculous!"

His undisguised humiliation and contempt: "Li Ping'an, why don't you take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror! My Zhou family is highly valued by the Celestial Official, what are you? Just a dog raised by the Mu family!"

"Without your father-in-law, you'd still be digging in Peach Blossom Village! Go back and serve your wife. The affairs of Yunshui County are none of your business!"

Li Ping'an remained expressionless, a cold glint flashing deep in his eyes, and said in a cold voice, "Make your move!"

A cold, low shout rang out, and the guards burst through the door, swarming in.

Seeing that Li Ping'an was serious, and the bright seal was affixed to the door, a hint of fear flashed in Zhou Shan's eyes. He roared, his voice trembling with fear:

"My Zhou family is a prestigious clan with a century-long history. What right do you have to seize my family's property? I demand to see Immortal Liang!"

Having said that, he was about to break through towards the county government office.

Even though he had lived a life of luxury for the past few years, eating like a pig, he was still a master of the Divine Fiend Realm, his blood surging, and he smashed several constables away with a crash.

"Brother, we must capture Zhou Shan!" Li Ping'an said urgently.

"Hmm!" Li Pingfu responded, and his figure vanished from the spot in an instant.

Zhou Shan felt a blur before his eyes, and an irresistible, terrifying pressure descended upon him.

Before his guards could even react, they were sent flying backward by an invisible force, spitting blood and falling to the ground unconscious.

The next moment, a large, iron-like hand grabbed Zhou Shan's neck and lifted him off the ground like a chick with one hand.

The overwhelming pressure from a master of innate cultivation was fully revealed!

"you you……"

Zhou Shan kicked his legs wildly, his face instantly turning a deep liver color, his eyes filled with horror and disbelief.

He never imagined that Li Pingfu, whom he regarded as a country bumpkin, was actually... actually a master of innate skill!

"Stop! Release the clan leader!"

Deep within the Zhou family compound, several aged figures rushed out. They were all elders and retainers of the Zhou family, each a master of the Acquired Realm.

However, when they felt the abyss-like, innate pressure emanating from Li Pingfu, everyone stopped in their tracks, their faces filled with the same shock as Zhou Shan's.

The entire scene was instantly suppressed by one person.

Li Ping'an stepped forward slowly, his gaze sweeping over the Zhou family members who were frozen in fear, as well as the surrounding common people, and loudly proclaimed:

"By order of Magistrate Liang Xianguan: It has been found that the Zhou family of Yunshui, a prominent local clan, has not shown loyalty to the emperor and the country, but instead has secretly colluded with the heretical cult 'Wusheng Sect' to plot treason. The evidence is conclusive. Their guest, Qin An, is actually a long-time infiltrator of the Wusheng Sect, and his crimes deserve to be punished!"

"We are now apprehending core members of the Zhou family and seizing all of their assets. Anyone who disobeys will be treated as an accomplice and executed without exception!"

The voice was powerful and resonant, carrying far and wide.

As he finished speaking, the soldiers opened a box that had been prepared beforehand, and letters, account books, and tokens of communication with the Wusheng Sect, all written by Qin An himself, were displayed to everyone.

"Impossible! This is slander! This is a frame-up!" Zhou Shan roared with his last ounce of strength.

Li Ping'an gave a cold smile and winked at one of the soldiers beside him.

The soldiers immediately dragged out a Zhou family steward who was gagged and trembling all over. This steward was the one who had been responsible for passing messages to Qin An. His mouth had already been pried open by Li Pingcan with [Hallucinogenic Mushrooms], and he was now on the verge of a mental breakdown.

In front of everyone, the steward, with snot and tears streaming down his face, confessed everything about how he helped Qin An and Zhou Shan contact the cult, plotted to assassinate Li Pingfu, and seize the position of assistant county magistrate.

All the evidence is there!

Now, no one doubted it anymore.

Zhou Shan was struck dumb, collapsing completely in Li Pingfu's hands, his eyes glazed over, his face ashen.

He understood, he understood everything. Liang Xianguan's delayed appearance meant he had abandoned him. The Zhou family was finished.

Representatives of forces that had previously been on good terms with the Zhou family now retreated, as if trying to avoid them at all costs. Meanwhile, the surrounding populace erupted in angry shouts and curses.

When a wall falls, everyone pushes it down; when a drum breaks, everyone beats it.

Li Pingan looked at the scene before him and waved his hand calmly.

"Seale the mansion! Arrest the people!"

Under the cold command, the soldiers rushed into the Zhou family mansion like wolves and tigers, amidst cries, pleas for mercy, and curses.

The vermilion gate that once symbolized glory was slammed shut and sealed with crisscrossing strips.

The sun rises in the east, and the sunlight shines brightly.

The largest family in Yunshui County collapsed and vanished into thin air on this morning.

…………

The news of the Zhou family's downfall swept through the entire Yunshui County like a storm.

Those families that used to be on friendly terms with the Zhou family now sever ties with them as if avoiding a plague.

An even more outrageous scene unfolded on the competition stage for the "County Lieutenant Assistant".

The other two competitors withdrew from the competition on the spot after learning that the Zhou family had encountered trouble and that Li Pingfu was already a confirmed master of innate martial arts.

Are you kidding me? Compete with a master of innate cultivation who's only in his early twenties?
Fighting a family capable of bringing down the century-old Zhou family? Are they tired of living?

In particular, the martial arts expert from the Zhou family's in-laws prepared generous gifts overnight and personally visited Li Pingfu to "apologize."

Thus, under the watchful eyes of the public, Li Pingfu won without bloodshed, without any suspense.

Amidst the awe-inspiring gazes of thousands, he accepted the "County Commandant's Seal," a symbol of power, with both hands.

(End of this chapter)