A heretical cultivator in Bureau 749, I'm the fiercest at pulling out tendons and skinning peop

Ji Zuodao played with a few relics that were still warm, looking at them from left to right, somewhat dissatisfied.

"Uncle Liu, this old man is supposed to be at the Divine Power Realm, how come he only managed to refine a few?"

"The quality is alright, but it's not enough to string together eighteen beads. I wanted one in each hand."

"Hey, Uncle Liu, even though Nanhua Temple has declined, it's still been around for a thousand years. You know... since we're already here, why don't we just stop by and take a look..."

"Uh, I mean to organize and standardize the assets, of course, ensuring compliance with procedures and that every penny goes to the public!"

"Tsk tsk, a thousand-year-old temple, wow, I bet even the floor tiles inside are antiques."

Deputy Director Liu flicked his cigarette ash without even lifting his eyelids:

"Nanhua Temple must not be touched."

"When the land of China was submerged and the earth's veins cracked, it was their last remaining Buddha who burned his golden body to mend the broken sky."

"Later, there was a severe drought for three years, and thousands of people starved to death. It was the monks of that generation who sold their sacred grains and ritual implements to exchange for porridge to save the people, which led to the loss of their lineage."

"Jinghai... owes them."

Upon hearing this, Ji Zuodao's playful smile slowly faded. He stroked the warm, smooth relic with his fingers, and after a long while, nodded.

"I understand. The true Buddha cuts off incense offerings for the country, while the false Buddha sits in the temple and collects gold and silver... It's time to distinguish between them."

"So, is this the end of our trip? Let's just forget about it?"

"Calculate?"

Deputy Director Liu snorted through his nose.

"Yongjue is Yongjue, and Nanhua Temple is Nanhua Temple. The old monk chose his own path, and the temple bears no responsibility."

"But in Jinghai, some newcomers have stepped on the coattails of others and overreached themselves. It's time to tighten our belts."

Deputy Director Liu reached into his coat pocket with his large, fan-like hand, fumbled around for a moment, pulled out his phone, and tapped and swiped his fingers on it for a few seconds.

"Ding-dong."

Ji Zuodao's cell phone, issued by Bureau 749, vibrated slightly in his pocket.

He took it out and saw that it was an encrypted file from "Deputy Director Liu".

The title is just one line: "List of Religious Venues Requiring Key Attention and Compliance Investigation in the Near Future (Draft)".

"Look, this was just put on the agenda recently, so we should take advantage of this opportunity."

Ji Zuodao opened the file.

It wasn't any confidential document; it just contained the names of some temples.

"Golden Peak Temple (Western Suburbs, Popular with worshippers)"

Baoguang Temple (Nancheng New District, mainly engaged in religious services for supermarkets)

"Jialan Temple (North Mountain Scenic Area, entrance fee is quite expensive)"

Miaoyin Nunnery (located by East Lake, exclusively for female guests)

……

There are over a dozen companies in total.

"What is this?" Ji Zuodao looked up.

Deputy Director Liu exhaled a puff of smoke, the white mist blurring his sharply defined profile:

"We must respect those who shed blood for the country back then. We must give way to those whose mountain gates were almost destroyed."

"But these—"

He tapped the list with the finger holding the cigarette.

"They came after they caught a whiff of something. They took advantage of the auspicious feng shui of Jinghai to amass wealth from all directions, and their methods... weren't exactly clean."

"It's not a big deal, not to the point of needing to seal off or confiscate property."

"But with the end of the year fast approaching, we need to establish rules and correct our thinking."

He looked at Ji Zuodao, a familiar, almost brutally straightforward glint in his eyes:

"You just wiped out the Hehuan Sect's businesses in Jinghai, and your infamy is at its peak. Go take a look around. Ask questions and settle accounts."

Ji Zuodao scrolled up and down the list.

His lips slowly parted to reveal two canine teeth, which looked exceptionally sincere and obedient in the dim red firelight.

"clear."

"Offering warmth and care to those in need, encouraging them to do good, and guiding them through confusion..."

"I'm a professional."

Dog Master leaned over, glanced at the list with his dog eyes, and chuckled:

"Well, so he's transitioned into the head of the industry's anti-corruption office?"

"Kid, keep up the good work, this business... has potential!"

Ji Zuodao put his phone into his inner pocket and patted it.

"Uncle Liu, don't worry."

He smiled, his eyes bright.

"I guarantee that all the masters... will feel the warmth of the organization and the sincere filial piety of the younger generation."

"Merit, all of it is merit."

The wind from the Flaming Mountains carried the smell of sulfur and stirred up a few ash particles.

Deputy Director Liu stubbed out his cigarette on the charred rock, stood up, and stretched his neck.

"I'm gone."

"It's so hot here."

hum-

Before my eyes, light and shadow shifted, and flames, lava, mountains... all receded like the tide.

The Flaming Mountains seemed to have never existed.

The three people and one dog were already standing steadily at the foot of Building 3 in Yong'an Community.

A gentle breeze drifted through the alley, carrying the unique, lively atmosphere of the marketplace, and brushed against my cheek.

The window upstairs, which the old monk Yongjue had broken open, silently testified that what had just happened was not an illusion.

Ji Zuodao subconsciously touched his pocket, where several round, slightly warm relics pressed against his fingertips.

"Uncle Liu."

He turned his head, looked at Deputy Director Liu who was brushing off the non-existent dust from his trench coat, gave him a thumbs up, and sincerely praised him.

"It has to be you. Your supernatural powers and your Dharma form are powerful and straightforward, without any of those empty fancy tricks."

"Just like you, honest and straightforward."

Ji Zuodao was truly envious.

When I cultivate to the level of supernatural powers, and my own innate supernatural abilities arise, I will be like Uncle Liu—

No illusions or labyrinths, no playing with illusions or shifting between reality and illusion, just pure, extreme power, a massive amount of "numerical values," smashed over, and the score settled.

He recalled his three masters mentioning in casual conversation that they had seen many people at the Divine Power Realm who possessed impressive innate divine powers, but unfortunately, they had pig brains.

A perfectly good supernatural power, but when used, it's like a three-year-old child swinging a sledgehammer—it misses the mark and injures the user instead.

Like that old bald monk Yongjue, trying to smash the Flaming Mountain with the Little Thunderclap Temple? What was he thinking?

Perhaps chanting scriptures has turned his brain into mush.

Upon hearing this, Deputy Director Liu chuckled and patted Ji Zuodao's shoulder with his large, fan-like hand, the force of which made Ji stagger.

"Young man, the Dharma form is the skin, the supernatural powers are the bones, and what's inside is the true heart of a cultivator."

"This Bull Demon King of Lao Tzu, the Flaming Mountain, may be rough and wild, but he is real, he is heavy, and he doesn't lie."

He leaned closer, his hot, smoky breath brushing against Ji Zuodao's ear, his voice low but each word clear:

"I really want to see what kind of amazing thing you can come up with in the end, with your belly full of black water and evil, seven parts evil and three parts cowardice, and occasionally a bit of silly human kindness."

"Little Princess."

Deputy Director Liu patted Ji Zuodao on the shoulder, his tone unusually carrying a rough, elder-like expectation.

"Keep it up and train hard. The strength of these kids from Jinghai 749 is their daring and aggressive nature, but their weakness is that they're too aggressive and always want to get into fights."

"When I can't work anymore anymore, I'll quit..."

He paused, gazing at the flickering neon lights in the distance of Jinghai, and smiled:

"This mess needs someone more capable, more shrewd, and more in control to take it over."

For some reason, a phrase that had been heard in a play and seemed quite out of place suddenly popped into Ji Zuodao's mind—

"The Crown Prince is often ill; you should encourage him."

He quickly shook his head, banishing this outrageous association, and plastered a perfectly obedient smile on his face:

"Uncle Liu, you're in your prime, full of energy and vitality, retirement is a long way off! My meager skills are enough to run errands for you, do odd jobs, and I'll be content just to learn a few things..."

"Virtue!"

Deputy Director Liu chuckled and cursed, then withdrew his hand and turned away.

"Got the list. Let's handle this carefully. I'm off."

Having said that, he said no more, and with his unique gait that seemed to crush the paving stones, his figure quickly disappeared into the street corner.

Dog Master strolled over, glancing sideways at Ji Zuodao with his dog eyes, and pursing his lips:

"Did you hear that? Young Grand Secretary? The future Deputy Director? Entrusted to you! Aren't you under pressure? Aren't you moved?"

Ji Zuodao stared in the direction where Deputy Director Liu had disappeared, then touched the few relics in his pocket, and thought about the heavy list in his arms.

Suddenly I felt...

The wind from Jinghai, blowing against my skin, feels a little...

It's burning hot.

He smacked his lips, raised his foot, and gave Dog's fat butt a light kick:

"Touched my foot! Hurry up and find somewhere to eat, I'm starving!"

"After eating, I still need to think about it..."

"How can we deliver warmth and care?"