I've already become an immortal lord, and only now is the spiritual energy reviving?

The night in Shanghai was as dark as ink.

Located on a hillside in the suburbs, the villa courtyard is quiet and secluded.

The pool water was azure, reflecting a cold moon.

Lu Zhaolin, wearing a silk bathrobe, leaned his long elbows against the jade railing, a cigarette between his fingers, its embers flickering.

She looked up at the moon, her expression detached and indifferent, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Footsteps sounded behind me, very softly.

Su Xing'an walked to a stop three steps behind the boss.

She followed Lu Zhaolin for five years.

This was the first time I'd ever seen this notorious "work machine" in the business world. He didn't look at reports or listen to the news; he stood in the wind late at night, just waiting for a new male employee's daily report.

"explain."

Lu Zhaolin did not turn around; cigarette ash fell in a soft rustling sound.

Su Xing'an composed herself, opened her memo app, and recited it like a textbook lesson:

"At 9:30 a.m., Mr. Qing completed his onboarding process and was in a stable condition. At 10:30 a.m., he joined the core team and integrated well. Team Leader Zhou gave him extremely high praise. At lunchtime..."

Su Xing settled down and secretly glanced at the boss's profile.

"Um?"

The nasal tone rises, creating a strong sense of pressure.

Su Xing'an swallowed hard and forced herself to continue:

"During the cafeteria meal, Xu Wang from the operations department made things difficult for intern Gu Wanyin. Mr. Qing stepped forward, first defending her verbally, and then 'accidentally' injuring Xu Wang with his cutlery, forcing him to apologize."

The air was stagnant.

Lu Zhaolin took a deep drag of his cigarette, but didn't exhale immediately.

The smoke slowly dissipated, enveloping Qing Leng's face, making his expression somewhat blurred.

After a long pause, a calm voice rang out:

Who is Gu Wanyin?

"A newly hired intern in the administration department, from an average family, with a personality that is... introverted and gentle."

"weak."

Lu Zhaolin chewed on the two words, took another drag of his cigarette, and exhaled heavily.

"He has a chivalrous heart; wherever there is injustice, he is there."

The words sounded like a compliment.

Su Xing'an felt a chill run down her spine.

The word "he" at the end sounds a bit sour.

Is the boss... angry?

It wasn't because of trouble caused by subordinates, but rather like the cabbage that one had painstakingly grown was being distracted by some wildflower from who-knows-where?

The absurd thought had barely formed in her mind when Su Xing'an couldn't help but shudder.

crazy.

Lu Zhaolin is the iron lady of the Lu family, how could she have such love-struck emotions!

Quickly shake your head and clear your mind of distractions.

"You handle this as you see fit."

Lu Zhaolin flicked away the cigarette ash, his tone returning to its usual cold indifference:

"Keep it quiet, but make sure some people feel the pain."

"That Xu Wang, we can't let him live, can we?"

Su Xing'an probed.

"Xu Wang is just a dog that bites randomly; he can be disciplined, but don't chase him away for now."

Lu Zhaolin turned around, leaned against the railing, and said sharply, "The key point is his uncle, Xu Quanfu, who is the deputy manager."

"This person is dishonest and often takes kickbacks."

"Keep it for now."

Su Xing'an was puzzled.

"If the company were clean and solid, how could Second Uncle Lu Zhangwu possibly make a move? Leaving such conspicuous parasites and revealing weaknesses would give Second Uncle an opportunity to take advantage of the situation and reach out."

Lu Zhaolin sneered, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "Don't be stingy with the bait when catching fish. Once your hand gets in, chop it up too."

Su Xing'an's eyes immediately sparkled.

So cool!

This is what my idol should look like!

Jealousy, womanizing—it's all an illusion!

"Slap, slap, slap."

Exaggerated applause suddenly erupted from the flower bushes behind them.

Su Xing'an was so startled that she almost cried out.

Looking back.

Lu Zhaoheng, dressed in an even more flamboyant fluorescent purple pajama set than during the day, swaggered over, holding a glass of red wine.

"Fantastic! Absolutely fantastic!"

"I thought you were going to risk everything for a woman, but I never expected that you would still be that shrewd and cunning little sister. That old fox, Second Uncle, probably never dreamed that the biggest trap would be right where he wanted to plant his spies."

Su Xing'an was very perceptive and quietly left the scene.

Lu Zhaoheng sidled up to Lu Zhaolin in a few steps, his shifty eyes gleaming, and reached out to snatch the cigarette from her lips.

"Stop smoking, it'll hurt your skin. Besides, who is this Qingyuan? Is he some kind of big shot you'd spend the whole night smoking...?"

"Snapped!"

Lu Zhaolin swung the back of his hand, precisely swatting away the claw.

"Stop fooling around."

Lu Zhaoheng's hand turned red, and he immediately glared, adopting the authority of an elder brother: "Lu Zhaolin! I'm your brother! Can't you give me some face?!"

Lu Zhaolin turned his head to the side.

After taking off his glasses, his eyes narrowed slightly; he remained silent, gazing intently.

ten seconds.

Cold sweat trickled down Lu Zhaoheng's temples.

That look was strikingly similar to the death stare he received from his entire family after he broke his great-grandfather's antique vase when he was a child.

"Harmful."

Lu Zhaoheng shrank his neck, tilted his head back, downed the red wine in one gulp, and chuckled awkwardly:

"Actually, I'm used to being the older brother, but it's more comfortable being the younger brother, really."

Lu Zhaolin withdrew his gaze, casually extinguished the remaining cigarette, pulled his bathrobe tighter, and walked straight into the house.

"Wait a minute, Zhaolin!"

Lu Zhaoheng, unwilling to give up, followed behind, shouting:

"Just who is Qingyuan? Could he be some reclusive young master? Hey! Don't close the door!"

"Bang!"

The floor-to-ceiling windows are closed.

......

Inside the rental house.

Qingyuan sat hunched over the computer, his eyes shining.

The mouse was slid to the far south, as if discovering a new continent.

"Huh, a new city?"

Originally planning how to fleece three neighbors, I accidentally scrolled my attention to the depths of the south.

Its location is farther than the deep pool where the toad spirit who refuses to leave resides.

The fog has not yet lifted, and the boundaries are blurred.

At the edge of the pitch black, a grand city icon emanates an unusual deep gray, distinguishing it from any wild village.

Blackwater City.

[Attribute: Neutral/Chaotic]

[Synopsis: This city is not governed by any sect, and is inhabited by ordinary people and cultivators, a diverse and chaotic place. It is currently governed jointly by the four great cultivation families of Wang, Xiao, Li, and He.]

[Note: Several Foundation Establishment stage cultivators reside within the city. Do not provoke them rashly, or the consequences may be dire.]

"Foundation Establishment Stage, the Four Great Families..."

Qingyuan was not surprised but rather delighted.

The only known trading point is the vampire-like territory of the Imperial Sword Sect, [Shulufang], which has high taxes and is easily monitored.

Guanhuamen has long suffered under the rule of Yujianmen.

A new neutral large map has been released, boasting a high-quality design and representing more resources, rarer cultivation techniques, and more...

An escape route.

Qingyuan has always been mindful of potential dangers even in times of peace.

If the Imperial Sword Sect launches a major attack in the future, and the Guanhua Sect's mountain gate falls, Blackwater City will be an excellent refuge.

Cunning Rabbit Three Caves.

We need to plant a flag and set up an office.

However, choosing the right person is a big problem.

Qingyuan mentally reviewed his core team.

"Chai Wu? No way, going there would be like dancing on a powder keg; he'd be in a fight within two days."

"He Qin?"

Qingyuan's eyes flickered, then he immediately shook his head in rejection.

"This person cannot be touched."

As the Elder of General Affairs, He Qin is essentially the sect's CFO and Chief Executive Officer.

If she were transferred away, the sect's logistics system would be paralyzed instantly.

"Shu Yan and Hua Yangzi, one offensive and one defensive, need to be stationed at the center and cannot be moved."

After using the process of elimination, Qingyuan's gaze finally settled on a stone chamber in the back mountain of the sect.

Yang Danhe.

An old, worried, and honest alchemist.

With decent cultivation and a skill to make money, coupled with a calm and cautious nature, he is well-suited for diplomacy and logistics in this complex and chaotic place.

"You're the one!"

......

The alchemy room on the back mountain.

Fire rose from the ground, and waves of heat rolled in.

The room was filled with a spicy, strangely sweet and fishy smell.

Yang Danhe stared intently at the bronze furnace before him, his withered hand tightly clutching a demon-accompanying grass.

"This herb is potent. If it is simmered over a low flame three times, with the aid of morning dew, it might reduce its toxicity by seventy percent..."

He muttered to himself, constantly gesturing with his fingers to indicate the direction for administering the medicine.

"Thump, thump, thump."

The knock was steady.

Yang Danhe frowned, but his hands did not stop moving. He casually released a burst of spiritual energy to trigger the mechanism.

"Enter."

The stone gate slid open with a creak.

Shu Yan stepped inside and saw the room filled with smoke and fire; a hint of respect flashed across her face.

"Junior disciple?"

Yang Danhe was taken aback.

This girl usually disliked the mundane world disturbing her reading pleasure, and except for important matters, she never set foot in the alchemy room.

He quickly made a hand seal to extinguish the earth fire, stood up, brushed the black ash off his robe, and cupped his hands in greeting:

"So late at night, does my junior disciple urgently need elixirs?"

Shu Yan returned the greeting with utmost respect: "Uncle-Master, you've worked hard. The elixir is of no concern. I am here on Master's orders to invite you to the main hall."

"The main hall?"

Yang Danhe's heart skipped a beat.

A summons late at night must mean something important has happened.

Not daring to delay, and without even changing his clothes, he hurriedly left with Shuyan.

......

Guanhua Main Hall.

The luminous pearl shone with a cool, clear light.

Yang Danhe stepped over the threshold.

"Junior brother is here."

Hua Yangzi skipped the pleasantries and pointed to a small, dark flag that had been newly planted in the blank space at the far south of the sand table.

"Information that Yan'er obtained from the Scout Hall."

"Blackwater City".

"It's not a village, but a city, controlled by four major cultivation families, and there may be a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator in charge."

Yang Danhe gasped, instinctively backing away: "This...this den of wolves and tigers, we'd better stay far away."

"There's no escaping it."

Shu Yan took over the conversation, drawing a line between Guanhua Gate and Blackwater City with her fingertip.

"Uncle-Master, Guanhua is about to prosper. Relying on just a few acres of meager land and a single mine is not sustainable. We need to expand our market and convert the pills we have into spirit stones to exchange for high-level magic weapon array diagrams."

"Shurokubo is too small; we need a new base."

Hua Yangzi's eyes were burning:

"Junior brother, you know that scoundrel Chai Wu in our sect. Going there will only cause trouble. I'm fighting with three families and can't get away."

"As for Qin'er, she is even more untouchable."

Hua Yangzi sighed:

"She single-handedly manages the food, drink, and spirit stone allocation for hundreds of people. If we send her away, who will take care of all this mess? You want me to settle accounts? You might as well just kill me."

"After all the calculations, it's only you."

Hua Yangzi patted Yang Danhe's shoulder heavily:

"He is skilled in alchemy, has a calm temperament, and is able to take root in a place where all sorts of people mingle, thus opening a window for the sect."

"More importantly..."

The old Taoist lowered his voice: "If Guanhua is ever defeated, the Blackwater City branch will be the last spark of our sect."

That's all I have to say.

Yang Danhe remained silent for a long while, then gave a bitter smile: "Senior brother, it's not that I'm making excuses, but if I leave, who will supply the sect with its elixirs?"

"Uncle-Master, there is no need to worry."

Shu Yan took out the roster: "Uncle-Master's teaching is excellent. The Alchemy Pavilion now has five inner disciples who can independently operate the furnace, which is enough to maintain daily life."

"As for high-grade pills, every three years, Yan'er is willing to go to Blackwater City in person to retrieve the stock accumulated by her martial uncle."

The road ahead is clearly laid out.

To refuse again would be to lack common sense.

Yang Danhe straightened her hunched back and bowed solemnly:

"For the sake of the sect's long-term prosperity, this old Daoist... accepts the order!"

The next day, at dawn.

An open space behind the mountain.

A small boat, covered with patterns of flowing clouds, floats in the air.

The sect's most prized possession, a magical artifact acquired secondhand from Shulufang—the Azure Cloud Boat.

To save face, Hua Yangzi really went all out.

Yang Dan stood beside him, while his two apprentices, Fan Ju and Ding Cheng, carried their bags, their faces showing both excitement and trepidation.

In addition, Chai Wu specially selected eight elite soldiers from the Soldier Killing Battalion to accompany and protect him, exuding a chilling aura.

"Junior brother, this journey is a thousand miles long, and the road ahead is uncertain."

Hua Yangzi gripped Yang Dan's arm tightly and squeezed it hard:

"Once we get there, don't try to stand up for yourself. If the four great families don't know what's good for them... don't confront them head-on. Send a message back, and I'll think of a solution."

"Don't worry, senior brother, I'm best at hiding my head."

Yang Dan made a joke in an attempt to ease the sorrow of parting.

"Uncle Yang, take care."

Shu Yan bid farewell softly.

Yang Dan nodded, no longer hesitating, and waved his sleeve.

"Get on the boat!"

The Azure Cloud Boat trembled and groaned, a pale blue spiritual shield rose from its surface, and it took off into the air.

Yang Dan stood at the bow of the boat, looking back at the dilapidated hill where she had lived for more than a decade. Her eyes reddened, and she bowed deeply.

A streak of blue light pierced the sky, transforming into a shooting star that chased the moon, heading straight south.