Sect Leader! Please strengthen our Dao Sect!

After a long silence, Liu Jiujiang, having calmed himself down, disregarded the other person's age and continued:

"When that earth-shattering battle broke out in Tianyang Prefecture, Old Wu and I were still horrified by the terrifying fluctuations of supernatural powers even though we were far away in Qingyang County."

As he spoke, Liu Jiujiang couldn't help but reveal shock and longing on his face.

"At the time, we did not know the specific situation. Although the distance was far, it was an instant for a Golden Core True Monarch. We were very worried that it would affect Qingyang County."

"It was only afterwards that we learned that there were several Golden Core cultivators fighting, and even though the battlefield was at a very high altitude, it still sank the seven counties closest to the center of the battle."

The governor personally intervened to mediate, even prompting a Nascent Soul Daoist from the Imperial State to intervene remotely, killing a Golden Core True Monarch from tens of thousands of miles away, before the matter was finally resolved.

After saying this, Liu Jiujiang took a deep breath. The Golden Core stage was already something that ordinary cultivators dared not even dream of, let alone the Nascent Soul stage.

Upon hearing this, Shen Shanshui's heart skipped a beat.

Why don't you sever your master-disciple relationship with your good disciple now!

Back then, people said Tang Yan had the makings of a protagonist, and now it seems their words have come true. If he weren't the protagonist, would there be so many plot holes around him, one after another, like hidden threads in the grass?

Tang Yan, still lost in thought and unable to understand why Gu Meng'er had him kidnapped, was unaware that he was only one step away from becoming a Dao Sect outcast.

"And this whole thing started because of a woman named Liu Ruyan. The little girl just now called that woman Aunt Liu."

Furthermore, considering the extraordinary abilities she displayed that affected both me and Lao Wu, she's almost certainly that person from Tianyang Prefecture.

"This name...has a great karmic connection."

Shen Shanshui took a deep breath; he needed to calm himself. She was connected to a Nascent Soul Daoist, and he had almost killed her? Should he push things to the extreme?

Clearly noticing Shen Shanshui's worry, Liu Jiujiang patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry too much. Although Dizhou is the premier state of the Immortal Dynasty, the governor of Yunzhou was furious when the Dao Venerable killed a cultivator from my Yunzhou. He and several Dao Venerables from Yunzhou personally went to Dizhou."

I heard that Daoist Master received a warning from the Imperial State and has been confined to his immortal sect.

"Under the rule of my Great Qin, the management of cultivators is not harsh, but there are still rules; otherwise, the world would have been in chaos long ago."

"The fact that this woman can now walk freely is proof of that."

"It's still a hassle after all."

Shen Shanshui was already considering whether to kill him to silence him.

However, Liu Jiujiang and Wu Lianshan are both present, and as officials of the Immortal Dynasty, they may not agree.

"Let's put that aside for now, you've got a big secret!"

Liu Jiujiang stroked his beard, his eyes filled with doubt as he looked at Shen Shanshui.

"The immortal path flourishes in the Great Qin Dynasty, with a hundred flowers blooming. The same is true in my Yunzhou. Although all the prefectures seek the immortal path, the paths they take are quite different."

"In my Jiangnan Prefecture, cultivators are known for their combative nature and their mastery of supernatural powers. Therefore, although Jiangnan Prefecture is not strong overall, individual cultivators are hard to match within the same realm."

The cultivation practices in Tianyang Prefecture lean more towards the Yin-Yang Daoist method, and the practice of Daoist couples is prevalent. This woman surnamed Liu is rumored to possess the rudiments of the Daoist Fruit of Desire from birth, and with smooth cultivation, she could directly reach the Nascent Soul stage, which is why she aroused the covetousness of a Golden Core True Monarch.

"Old Wu and I were just... cough... somewhat affected, but you seem perfectly fine, young friend?"

A Dao Fruit of Innate Desire? There's such a heaven-defying Dao Fruit? Isn't it like a human aphrodisiac? No wonder the two of them behaved strangely just now.

"Actually, I was somewhat affected, but I have always been righteous and steadfast in my Daoist beliefs, and I managed to restrain myself," Shen Shanshui said seriously.

He didn't know why the so-called Dao Fruit of Desire had no effect on him; could it be because of his own enlightened Dao Heart?

The system said he had this talent, but Shen Shanshui had never felt anything special about it and had almost forgotten about it.

"Cough...really?"

Liu Jiujiang didn't ask any more questions, but looked at Shen Shanshui with a hint of pity in his eyes.

Since things had come to this point, the two stopped dwelling on the topic.

"That Magistrate Li just left? Is that alright?"

Although Shen Shanshui didn't know how Liu Jiujiang had dealt with the other party, it couldn't have been all just talk.

"You've only agreed to a small request from them, but it's actually beneficial for you."

Let's not talk about this now; we'll discuss it in detail later.

The conditions are not yet ripe, so there's no point in saying anything now.

As Liu Jiujiang spoke, he glanced at Tang Yan.

"Alright, let's go back now. Tang Yan, as a resident of Qingyang County, has now been rescued. The rest is up to you."

"This woman...you decide what to do with her."

Liu Jiujiang didn't want to get involved in unnecessary karmic consequences.

"As for the man whose arm was severed by Lao Wu, please be careful. Within Qingyang County, this is our duty. Beyond this area, there's nothing we can do."

Shen Shanshui naturally understood what Liu Jiujiang meant. Cross-regional law enforcement might be acceptable once or twice, but repeated offenses would eventually breed resentment.

Which county official doesn't want peace and tranquility in their jurisdiction? Both of these battles took place in remote, sparsely populated areas. But what if the next battle takes place in a populated area, and someone dies? Who will be held responsible then?

"Thanks for reminding me."

Shen Shanshui bowed deeply.

……

……

Half a month later, at Tianyi Mountain.

Tang Yan has been in a bad mood lately. He never expected that his friend, whom he had treated sincerely since childhood, would kidnap him.

Of course, this was not the main reason for Tang Yan's depression, but rather that his master's mood seemed to have been very heavy ever since that day.

Although he didn't hear Liu Jiujiang and Shen Shanshui's conversation, what he witnessed was already quite troublesome.

Even the most naive man could see that Gu Meng'er was no ordinary person and had ulterior motives for contacting him.

And what about that cultivator who only appeared for a few breaths before having his arm severed and fleeing in panic? Which faction was he from?

He was the one who brought all these troubles to Shen Shanshui, and he felt extremely guilty, yet he was powerless to resolve them.

Taking a deep breath, Tang Yan seemed to have made up his mind.

"Sigh~"

……

"Sigh~"

Early in the morning, Shen Lingxi held a bowl of rice porridge with just a little bit of pickled vegetables, and gently slurped it up.

The little girl hasn't been in a good mood lately; even the rice porridge in her hand doesn't taste good anymore.

Her senior brother went out and brought back two women, and the unconscious woman made her feel a deep sense of crisis.

Most importantly, my senior brother, who is always kind and friendly and always has a smile on his face, seems to be in a bad mood lately.

Shen Lingxi couldn't be happy either, since her senior brother was in a bad mood.

After finishing her porridge, Shen Lingxi went to cultivate on her own. She simply thought that if she cultivated diligently, her senior brother might be happier to see her.

……

"Finally, one batch has been forged!"

As a rich medicinal fragrance wafted from the alchemy furnace, Shen Shanshui used his spiritual energy to take out the dozen or so perfectly round Qi Refining Pills that emitted a faint glow from the furnace. He kept only one in his hand and quickly put the rest into a jade bottle to prevent the medicinal power from being lost.

He's been in a bad mood lately because this is the thirty-seventh batch of pills he's made; all thirty-six batches before this were ruined.

Those were all obtained by exchanging countless white spirit stones.

How could I not feel heartbroken?

Fortunately, after many failures, Shen Shanshui's fire control skills became increasingly refined.

After swallowing the Qi Refining Pill, a warm sensation came from my abdomen, which then transformed into rich and pure spiritual energy that began to spread to my limbs and bones.

Shen Shanshui had never experienced such luxury before, and even now that he was a Foundation Establishment True Person, the Qi Refining Pill had little effect on him. Yet, he still felt extremely satisfied.

Just then, as if sensing something, Shen Shanshui murmured, "What is my foolish disciple trying to do?"

……