Water elemental became a god, ultimately becoming the master of heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers

Chapter 117 Rejection, You Slut
"Xu Fang, a member of the Changlong Duifang gang, has a late-stage second-rate cultivation level and is around 36 years old... Let's discuss this together."

"can."

"can."

...

Most of the people recommended for promotion were admitted to the inner circle through unanimous agreement.

After all, everyone present was a prominent figure in Wuqing County, and there was no need to reject it and hurt everyone's feelings.

He Qiqiang passed the unanimous resolution smoothly.

Lu Jing picked up a list, his gaze sweeping over the handwriting, his expression unchanged, and said,
"Chen Shunan, the third son of Zhao Guangxi, has a mid-stage second-rate cultivation level and is fifty years old."

The area beneath the ancestral hall quieted down slightly.

A silver kettle sits atop a small red clay stove, the spring water just beginning to boil, emitting a soft, rustling sound like the sound of pine trees.

After a few breaths of silence, someone spoke up: "Alright."

"can."

"no."

Suddenly, Yue Ting from the Wanlong mill spoke, his expression calm.

"no."

"no."

One after another, voices of rejection were raised.

Without exception, they all came from the four major mills.

As for the other three, Shui San'er was one thing, but Chen Shun'an, in the eyes of the Duifang gang, had already been labeled as a loyal and trusted minister of Zhao Guangxi.

In particular, rumors have been circulating that Chen Shunan is about to take over as the manager of Heishajing in Wusheng Street.

Although Black Sand Well is a turbid water well, it can produce Eight Treasures Mercury, making it a treasure well.

If Chen Shunan were to actually join the inner circle, stumble upon some incredible luck, achieve great things late in life, and reach a first-rate level, what would that be like?!
Zhao Guangxi must be severely restrained!
Nie Zheng remained indifferent, picked up the silver kettle, poured himself a cup of spring tea, and then sneered.

“The inner quarters are not some retirement home where just anyone can be admitted.”

boom!
The teacup was struck heavily on the table, producing a dull thud.

"no!"

Soon, everyone expressed their opinions.

Whether by coincidence or not, when it was Hong Junxian's turn to express his opinion, the number of people in favor and those against was exactly equal.

The crucial votes fell to Hong Junxian.

Hong Junxian, whose hair and beard were all white, coughed lightly, squinted at Lin Shouzhuo, and looked at him with a strange gaze.

He recalled that before he left, the head steward of the Zhao family, a trusted confidant of the master, had instructed him to find an opportunity to 'pressure Chen Shun'an'...

Hong Junxian then said, "Alas, the mountains and rivers remain the same, but people grow old. You will all grow old one day. Why be so harsh on an old senior?"
But what my nephew Nie said is also true. Our inner department is a crucial office, and it's not appropriate to let unauthorized people in... How about this, we temporarily place this Chen Shunan on the river patrol, watching for flood monsters. Once he has rendered meritorious service, we can promote him to the inner department. What do you think?"

"This……"

Lin Shouzhou stood up, his face displeased, and said, "I cannot make the decision on this matter. I need to ask Chen Shunan. Please wait a moment."

Lu Jing nodded and said, "Go quickly and come back quickly."

……

Under the ginkgo tree, Sun Xiao subtly elbowed Chen Shunan.

Chen Shunan woke up as if from a dream, yawning and stretching.

Lin Shouzhou stared in astonishment, blinked, and felt a surge of anger.

I, Lin, have been working hard and arguing with everyone inside to get you benefits, while you, Old Chen, are just relaxing and sleeping soundly here?
After listening to Lin Shouzhou's words.

Chen Shunan shook his head directly: "Thank you for your kindness, Brother Lin, but it's not necessary. I'd rather stay away from the river patrol than go there."

He had absolutely no interest in the inner quarters.

As the saying goes, "A wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall," so for Chen Shunan, staying in a crowded place was the best choice.

This makes it easier to take advantage of the chaos and protect everyone in front of them.

only……

Chen Shunan's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but ask,

"Brother Lin, I wonder who rejected my application?"

Mr. Chen can choose not to go, but he cannot be eliminated.

Among these people, there may be villains harboring malicious intentions towards Chen, and Chen Shunan should be more vigilant.

Lin Shouzhou, unaware of the situation, quickly replied, "There are quite a few, including the four major mills, as well as Nie Zheng and Hong Junxian..."

Very well, Chen has memorized all these people's names.

Lin Shouzhou tried to persuade Chen Shunan a few more times, but seeing his resolute attitude, he could only sigh, pat him on the shoulder, and turn to leave.

Sun Xiao and the others looked at Chen Shunan with a hesitant expression, as if they wanted to say something but couldn't.

Old Chen, you don't want to go, but we do!

Why doesn't Instructor Lin mentor us?
Sun Xiao lowered his voice and asked, "Old Chen, you didn't see any huge risks involved again, which is why you're hiding here, did you?"

Chen Shunan said helplessly, "That's called self-preservation. Besides, I'm old and frail, how can I withstand the internal turmoil? I'll just fool the brothers."

Upon hearing this, Sun Xiao, Cheng Bin, and the others chuckled and said no more.

A moment later, Lin Shouzhou returned to the foot of the ancestral hall.

Chen Shunan sat there, keenly aware of the gazes falling on him—some curious, some scrutinizing, and some undisguisedly cold and hostile.

His expression remained unchanged, but his mind was perfectly clear.

Hong Junxian?
So what if he's only good at killing two traitors? At most, he'll live a long time. His strength is just average. Why is he acting so arrogant because of his age?

Chen Shunan hates people who take advantage of their age.

Nie Zheng was slightly stronger, but Chen Shunan was more experienced. After killing the blind thief, he could discern a person's aura and clearly sensed that Nie Zheng's tailbone was off-center, his power was not flowing to the top of his head, and he had hidden injuries that had damaged the meridians in his head.

It's not that Nie Zheng doesn't like to smile, it's that he has facial paralysis and can't smile.

Presumably, Nie Zheng sought refuge in the government to find a cure for his illness.

Lu Jing's strength is indeed quite good.

Very impressive. This also proves that Zhao Guangxi has a keen eye for talent and is quite capable of recognizing it.

It's just that I met the wrong person.

……

The Wuqing Sticky Rod Office was established, divided into inner and outer sections, responsible for tasks such as slaying demons and apprehending criminals. It was quickly announced to a group of second-rate martial artists.

Regardless of how people react, whether they are happy or sad.

The news that a great demon was lurking in the Grand Canal weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like a mountain.

Lu Jing, Nie Zheng, and the others left one after another and boarded the carriage.

They were personally invited by stewards and even heads of various prominent families in Wuqing.

Looking at the direction these people left in, without exception, they all went to the eight grand halls, eight luxurious restaurants, theaters, and entertainment venues.

At worst, it's catering to their tastes, like going out to ride falcons and horses, or playing with quails and fighting dogs.

"This trend in the Holy Dynasty is truly improper; it is extravagant and decadent..."

Chen Shunan stared longingly at him.

Cheng Bin suddenly stopped the crowd, cupped his hands in greeting, and said,
"Old Chen, how about a few of you brothers come over to my place for lunch today? Is Instructor Lin free? He might as well join us. I've already prepared some dishes..."

After eating a lot of soup, Chen Shunan suddenly felt hungry.

Seeing that it was already noon, Lin Shouzhou did not refuse.

Sun Xiao chuckled and said, "Wow, wow, Cheng Bin, you're living the high life right now..."

"Where."

Cheng Bin looked embarrassed, but the smugness and satisfaction in his eyes were obvious to everyone.

Upon arriving at Cheng Bin's house, Cheng Bin pushed open the courtyard gate, lifted his robes, and hurriedly ran ahead, calling out loudly,
"Xiaoman, is the food ready? Come out and greet us."

"Coming."

A crisp, clear sound came from inside.

As Chen Shunan and his two companions entered the living room, they saw that bowls, chopsticks, and dishes had already been prepared on the table.

A shy woman lifted the kitchen curtain and rushed up to greet everyone.

The girl had an oval face, a face like a peach blossom, and eyes like autumn water. She was about seventeen or eighteen years old and dressed in a flamboyant manner, making her incredibly endearing.

Chen Shunan's expression remained unchanged when he saw the woman.

She really is that Xiao Man who wants to leave the country and become a respectable person.

Brother Cheng, you're so foolish!

Xiao Man clearly recognized Chen Shunan as well. Her face froze for a moment, and she seemed somewhat lost in thought, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes.

But she was quite cautious and immediately hid her thoughts, then went back to the kitchen to serve the dishes.

At the dinner table, Cheng Bin only drank one glass of wine before he was already tipsy and his face turned red.

Clearly, in his eyes, telling his brothers about Xiaoman's and his own marriage was an extremely happy event.

He felt lightheaded.

Xiao Man served several plates of pheasant slices, their red and white colors making them look very appealing.

Cheng Bin picked up his chopsticks and heated the food for everyone, about to introduce it to them.

Chen Shunan suddenly snatched his chopsticks, taking the initiative and speaking.

"This chicken must be a 'Songhua Chicken,' right? It's a mountain product, from the Western Hills. Because there are so many pine forests in the mountains, these chickens specialize in eating old pine pollen and pine nuts. Once they've eaten, they run off and roam all over the mountains, never returning home. So you can't tell from the outside, but the meat actually has a subtle fragrance. Some people just don't like this fragrance and think it smells bad, so you have to smell it carefully..."

Cheng Bin was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized what he meant, slapped his forehead, and said...

"I almost forgot, Old Chen, you're a true gourmand. I'm just showing off my limited skills... You're absolutely right, everyone, let's eat..."

Seeing that Cheng Bin hadn't grasped the implication of his words, Chen Shunan felt somewhat helpless.

Lin Shouzhou gave Chen Shunan a strange look.

Sun Xiao didn't care about whether it smelled good or bad; she picked up her chopsticks and started eating.

"Xiaoman, come, sit down too."

"My lord, how could I possibly..."

"Hey! You came when I told you to. These are all brothers I trust. Come and have a few drinks with them and get to know them better."

Xiao Man had no choice but to sit at the dinner table, have a few drinks with the group, and then sit next to Cheng Bin, with Chen Shunan to her left.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, most people were somewhat tipsy.

While Lin Shouzhou and Cheng Bin were chatting, Xiaoman suddenly smiled sweetly, her eyes sparkling, and glanced at Chen Shunan.

Then she stretched out her fair legs, her ankles as white as jade and as soft as cotton, and tried to hook them towards Chen Shunan.

With Chen Shun'an's cultivation level, even if he was drunk, how could Xiao Man possibly launch a sneak attack?
Besides, Chen Shunan was already on guard, keeping an eye out for this vixen.

He immediately and discreetly avoided her, then moved his position slightly away from Xiaoman.

Pan, Lu, Deng, Xiao, Xian.

Chen Shunan was quite self-aware, at most possessing only the trait of being a 'donkey'.

This woman, Xiaoman, is flirting with me like this; she has ulterior motives!

……

After a while.

After Chen Shunan and the others left, Cheng Bin tidied himself up a bit, washed his face, and was about to go to the gravel well for his shift.

"Woooooooo..."

Before he even left the house, Cheng Bin heard a mournful sobbing coming from inside.

Upon entering the room, one would see Xiaoman sitting on the bed, her face covered by a silk handkerchief, weeping bitterly.

Upon seeing this, Cheng Bin immediately became anxious.

"Xiaoman, what's wrong? Who made you angry?"

Xiao Man remained silent, only sobbing uncontrollably, until Cheng Bin's heart almost melted. Only then did he choke out, "..."
"It's all because of your brother, Chen Shunan!"

(End of this chapter)