Why is my Hundred Lifetimes Book different?

After finishing his court ceremony, Ren Jiaping returned to the inner courtyard to see his youngest son, who had been born before the New Year, before heading to his study.

I close the door, light a stick of incense, pick up a copy of "A Comprehensive History of the Great Qi Dynasty," and study it attentively.

This book is an official history, compiled by the imperial court, recording various major events during the 239 years of the Great Qi Dynasty.

"Father."

A familiar voice quietly echoed in his heart, and Ren Jiaping's body suddenly trembled. He closed the book and stood up: "Qingshan?"

The door was pushed open and then immediately closed.

But there was another figure inside the room.

Ren Jiaping excitedly reached out and gripped his son's shoulder tightly, his face etched with emotion and his jaw clenched.

How are you?

"Good, everything is going well. I never expected that after three years, Father would rise so high in rank."

Ren Qingshan made a joke.

"Just lucky."

"After the family split up in the past, I took precautions in advance, gradually selling off various properties in the city and converting them into gold and silver, and the whole family lived in seclusion. When Master Liu resigned, Master Hua, named Hua Zhiyan, arrived soon after."

"At that time, your grandmother was suffering from a serious illness. I knelt outside his immortal master's mansion for a day and a night, and finally got to see him. He gave me a pill, which cured my illness."

"After that, I made him famous in the city, saying that I loved the people like my own children and helped them solve their problems. I also offered him all my wealth. So we gradually became close, and your third uncle's youngest daughter even became his concubine."

"Last year, the old magistrate of Zhongjia County passed away. He recommended me, and I became the magistrate."

Ren Jiaping spoke in a low voice, his tone devoid of sorrow or joy, filled with a sense of vicissitude and melancholy.

Hearing this, Ren Qingshan was both surprised and delighted. To be honest, his father was indeed wise and resilient in terms of "political maneuvering," turning bad things into good things, knowing when to be patient and when to advance.

"I have been in seclusion for three years, practicing visualization techniques. Although I have made some progress, I am still very cautious every step of the way."

Ren Qingshan didn't waste any words. He roughly explained the mechanism of the visualization method, and then told about the current situation of his three brothers and his wife in Zhenbei City... After he finished speaking, the father and son looked at each other, and all their emotions were unspoken.

The rise of a family is never a matter for just one person.

Brothers fight tigers together, fathers and sons go to war side by side; only by working together from generation to generation can we achieve success.

"What is this person's character like?"

After explaining the current situation, they sat down to drink tea, and Ren Qingshan asked a question.

The Ren family has already established itself in the city and reached a tacit balance with the Hua family's guardian immortal master. His appearance may not be a good thing and may disrupt the balance.

Of course, this depends on the other person's character and the current situation.

"Although he is arrogant and thinks too highly of himself, he is generally acceptable. He is from a collateral branch of the Hua family. His father died for the Hua family, and this was used as a stepping stone to secure him a position as a guardian immortal master."

"He should be at the third level of Qi Refining, according to Master Liu, but I can't be sure for sure."

"After taking office, no one from the Hua family came to see him. He was accompanied by an old servant who was at the first level of Qi Refining, who helped him manage the business and opened a pill-making workshop and a weapon-making workshop."

"He went to Tiandu City half a year ago. Before he left, he asked me to gather the wealthy households in the county and collect a large sum of gold and silver. After returning from Tiandu, he went into seclusion and was rarely seen."

"I'll send a message tomorrow to have your cousin go home and find out what's going on."

Ren Jiaping said in a deep voice, then thought for a moment and added, "Perhaps we can ask Zhong Qingyun about this matter. He was introduced by Liu Yunsong to become a disciple of Fang Shouyi, the guardian immortal master of Baiyang County. When Zhong's father passed away, he returned once, but he did not take his elderly mother away... Currently, I am still taking care of the Zhong family. Your uncle's fourth son married the daughter of the second son of the Zhong family last year, which can be considered a marriage alliance."

"Okay, I'll go right away."

Ren Qingshan sighed again, marveling at how steady and meticulous his father was in doing things.

With a mortal body, he navigated various situations and struggled to steer the great ship of his family.

……

Fang Shouyi?

When he was eight years old, he traveled thousands of miles with a bowl. Ren Qingshan was deeply impressed by him. He was a sword cultivator, aloof, and would not lend a penny. He had a master at the sixth level of Qi Refining, but he had already passed away.

Zhong Qingyun actually became his disciple.

That's right, Fang Shouyi's lineage is no different from that of rogue cultivators.

He once said that he would enter the Heavenly Ruins once he reached the fourth level of Qi Refining.

Sword cultivators' training consumes an enormous amount of resources, which is difficult to provide within the strict hierarchical system of immortal sects.

Taking on disciples... I guess it's to leave behind the lineage's legacy before entering the Heavenly Ruins.

On his way to Baiyang County, Ren Qingshan thought about these things.

Between Shanyang County and Baiyang County lies Zhuolu County.

Lu Jing'an, the guardian immortal master of Zhulu County back then, has been reduced to the White Bone Path. As for who will succeed him, Ren Qingshan has no time to care.

It took less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

We've arrived in Baiyang County.

As soon as he arrived in the sky, Ren Qingshan swept his divine sense across the area and was shocked to discover that there were people fighting in a deep mountain below.

Both spiritual energies were cultivated at the third level of Qi Refining.

One of the sword energies crisscrossed, chilling and menacing; if nothing unexpected happened, it was Fang Shouyi.

Another wave, resembling ice, swept up large snowflakes in the mountains and forests.

Let's take a closer look...

The two were locked in a fierce battle, a fight to the death!

Fang Shouyi was now at a disadvantage, his blue clothes stained with blood, especially his left leg, which was now just bone.

The opponent was a middle-aged cultivator dressed in white, hidden in the snow and ice, his figure appearing exceptionally ghostly.

Two jade seals, each the size of a soybean, were crystal clear and intertwined, their Daoist auras colliding and creating ripples.

"The two of them are arguing over the method of visualization!"

Upon seeing the jade seal, Ren Qingshan understood.

As we are both at the third level of Qi Refining, I am naturally familiar with them.

From the third level of Qi Refining to the fourth level, apart from the scions of noble families, most ordinary cultivators have to go through a dual struggle of wisdom and combat, and they have to step on other people's heads to rise to the top!

In just over ten breaths.

The battle below is nearing its end.

Seeing Fang Shouyi pierced by two streams of ice, his blood staining the snow and wind, the jade seal suddenly dimming, and his sword energy no longer sharp as before... he was about to die.

"Fang Shouyi, disperse your power now, and I'll spare your life!"

The opponent spoke up, but the offensive did not stop; instead, it became even more intense.

Sword cultivators possess terrifying combat power!

A swordsman on the verge of death possesses even more terrifying combat power!

Fang Shouyi did not respond, but continued to struggle. Thousands of sword energies enveloped his body, and a blazing fire ignited in the midst of the snow and ice!

Upon seeing this, the opponent suddenly formed countless layers of ice, like a cage, encircling the opponent layer by layer. The opponent's speed also increased to the extreme, drifting through the snow and ice.

This sword!

Like a raging fire!

Wherever the sword light touched, the ice and snow melted, turning into fine drizzle.

But the bitter cold remained exceptionally harsh.

Half of it is ice and snow, and the other half is fire.

A spectacular sight formed in the night sky, extremely beautiful.

The endless killing intent lingers, and in the blink of an eye, life and death are decided!

Ren Qingshan frowned slightly as he watched this scene, but did not make a move.

Because they couldn't find a reason to take action.

Given the pride of a sword cultivator, even if he were to take action himself, Fang Shou would certainly not accept his help.

He would rather break than bend!

He could have easily escaped unscathed by simply dispelling his power and admitting defeat, but he insisted on fighting to the death!

At this time.

Ren Qingshan saw a streak of blood-red light suddenly emerge below, shooting rapidly toward the white-robed cultivator. In an instant, it pierced through his forehead, splattering red and white blood. The blood-red light then twisted and shredded everything around him to dust.

Ok?

This sudden turn of events greatly surprised Ren Qingshan.

Who is this?

Fang Shouyi even hired help?

This was a female cultivator in red, alluring and seductive. After killing the white-robed cultivator with a single blow, she took the remaining seal and a pill from him and handed them to Fang Shouyi.

Fang Shouyi remained silent, swallowed the pill, his flesh and blood regenerated, and he refined the remaining seal. In just over ten breaths, he was fully recovered.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Fang, on your successful attainment! Advancing to the fourth level of Qi Refining is just around the corner!"

The female cultivator offered her congratulations.

A smile involuntarily crept onto Fang Shouyi's lips: "Haha, just luck, nothing but luck. I used all the promises, pride, principles, and reputation of my life to set this trap and kill him. Although it all came to nothing, it was worth it!"

The female cultivator chimed in, "Exactly! Otherwise, he wouldn't have believed you and fought you alone! Foolish! Foolish people deserve to die!"

"However, Fellow Daoist Fang, your reputation isn't something you can only use once."

"Since no one will witness this battle anyway, and you are a swordsman known throughout the Northern Region for your unyielding integrity and unwavering commitment to your word, your reputation can be easily cleansed and will continue to be used, and in fact, it will be of great use!"

The two looked at each other and smiled.

After cleaning up the battlefield, they transformed into two streaks of light and departed.

……

In the night sky.

After a soft sigh, Ren Qingshan was about to leave when he suddenly heard a divine thought in his ear: "Fellow Daoist, why the sigh?"

Accompanied by the sound, a figure quietly appeared.

He was a cultivator dressed in a golden robe, smiling broadly, with eyes like stars.

Its aura, however, was unfathomable.

Even though he was standing right in front of him, Ren Qingshan felt as if he were facing nothingness.

……

……