Ji Yuan looked towards the source of the laughter and saw a burly man striding towards the small courtyard.
He couldn't help but frown at the sight. Although Taoist temples did not have many rules, and anyone could come to offer incense, this was limited to the main hall where the deity's statue was enshrined. The small courtyard beside it was not included.
Furthermore, his opinion of this chief constable of Qianyu City had significantly declined. He even felt a sense of contempt.
Liu Hongsheng had always been known for his chivalry. He enjoyed a high reputation and was deeply respected by the common people within hundreds of miles. Yet, during the catastrophe in the county town, he had hidden away. Only after the situation stabilized did he appear, intending to claim credit.
If it weren't for the official status the man held, he would have already drawn his sword. Now, with the man visiting uninvited and acting as if he owned the place, Ji Yuan found it hard to maintain a pleasant demeanor.
"Liu comes uninvited. I hope Daoist Ji will forgive me."
Liu Hongsheng stood in the courtyard, his face beaming. "Madam Qian, we meet again!"
With Qianyu City now under lockdown, outsiders were not the only ones barred. Even the city's residents were not allowed to leave unless for burials.
Madam Qian's ability to enter the city clearly indicated she had pulled some strings, making her previous encounters with Liu Hongsheng unsurprising.
However, she paid no heed to Liu Hongsheng, whose current authority rivaled that of the county magistrate. The outwardly kind businesswoman presented a cold expression.
The burly man, however, showed no sign of displeasure. With a hearty laugh, he turned his gaze to Ji Yuan.
"When I saw Daoist Ji heavily injured and unconscious that day, Liu was truly worried for many days. Now, I am finally at ease."
Liu Hongsheng's opening remarks were full of pleasantries, but paired with his meaningful gaze, it felt rather unsettling.
After a brief pause, he got straight to the point of his visit. It was as Ji Yuan had anticipated: he hoped that the people in the Taoist temple would cooperate with the county yamen in managing the chaos within the city.
However, his words carried an air of superiority, as if he were issuing orders, which made one uncomfortable.
Such an attitude naturally caused Ji Yuan's brow to furrow, and a hint of suspicion arose in his heart.
The man was, after all, the chief constable of a city, and had accumulated a good reputation within hundreds of miles over many years. Before this incident, even martial artists would have given him a thumbs-up.
Yet, now, this man was behaving recklessly, showing no regard for anyone else with such arrogance.
This was the kind of thing only a fool would do, and it was the last thing one would expect from him. It was as if he were completely resigned to his fate.
"Daoist Zhao and the others are not members of the Taoist temple. They are merely acquainted with this humble Daoist and I cannot make decisions for them."
After some thought, Ji Yuan feigned regret and said, "Unfortunately, after the recent battle with the demon, several of my Daoist friends were severely injured and are currently in seclusion for their recovery, unable to receive guests for the time being."
This was something they had all discussed days ago. Once Liu Hongsheng visited, Ji Yuan would be the one to deal with him and use this excuse.
After all, among them, only Ji Yuan not only had a good relationship with Xu Liuqing of the Three Blades Society but also had an unsettled transaction with the Blade Wielder of the Mingjian Division.
Reluctant to act rashly and risk damaging the pawn, they believed Liu Hongsheng would not dare to push too hard, even if he saw through their ploy.
As expected, upon hearing this, the man said nothing further. After a few pleasantries, he took his leave.
However, as he turned to leave, he spoke a few more words to Madam Qian, inviting her to visit the county yamen if she had time, to discuss matters both public and private.
Without waiting for a reply, he left the Taoist temple with a loud laugh, and soon disappeared from sight.
This swift departure was rather unsettling for Ji Yuan. In his previous estimations, the man would have lingered for some time.
"Are you curious about my relationship with him and why he's acting so out of character?"
Madam Qian suddenly spoke, and without waiting for his response, a cold smile played on her lips.
She had no reservations and immediately recounted the events of the past few days, her words filled with coldness and disdain.
In fact, she had arrived in Qianyu City several days prior and met Liu Hongsheng, who had a somewhat small reputation even in the prefectural city, at the county yamen.
During their first encounter, the burly man had spoken rudely and made lewd advances. If not for his official status, Madam Qian would have slapped him to death long ago.
As for why Liu Hongsheng was acting so out of character, abandoning the pretense he had maintained for decades without any regard, it was not because he had a sudden change of heart or was acting foolishly. Instead, news had spread from the prefectural city that he was to be made a scapegoat, bearing the majority of the responsibility for the recent chaos.
"There is an order from the prefectural city instructing people from surrounding counties and towns to keep watch on Liu Hongsheng at all times, cutting off any possibility of his escape."
Madam Qian sneered, "As for how heavy the final punishment will be, and whether he can keep his life, it depends on the contributions he makes now. However, even if it's not a death sentence, he will be severely punished, left like a cripple thereafter."
Tens of thousands of people in a city were almost sacrificed by a demon. Even though the disaster was eventually resolved, tens of thousands of citizens perished, and the entire county town fell into chaos.
Someone had to bear the responsibility for such mistakes and losses, and Liu Hongsheng was the perfect scapegoat.
Otherwise, under the wrath of the imperial court, even the prefect might be thrown into the prison and publicly executed.
"Originally, by claiming credit, he could have become a great hero, not only avoiding punishment but also soaring to great heights."
Madam Qian's eyes showed a hint of mockery as she spoke.
However, Liu Hongsheng was unlucky. Had he not encountered the Blade Wielder of the Mingjian Division, his scheme would not have failed. It was even conceivable that he could have used this opportunity to ascend, receiving generous rewards from the imperial court, and breaking through to the second realm.
Alas, fate had intervened. No matter how he schemed, in the end, he would gain nothing and could be held accountable at any moment, bearing immense infamy and condemnation.
It was no wonder that Liu Hongsheng had completely abandoned the pretense he had maintained for decades. He was going to die anyway; it was just a matter of dying miserably or dying comfortably.
In this light, Ji Yuan could understand why the man had changed his demeanor. Facing such a situation, anyone else would have already broken down mentally, and simply not ending their own life would be considered fortunate.
"Alright, since the matter is settled, I should be going. I have a pile of things to attend to."
Madam Qian smiled slightly. The opportunity to accumulate merit for her breakthrough was not as simple as just throwing money around.
Moreover, she was not the only one from Mingxin Pavilion who had come. Over a hundred shop assistants from the Qian family would also be arriving in Qianyu City with a large amount of supplies.
"Then I won't keep the Madam here."
Ji Yuan said with a laugh and then rose to see her off.
As the three of them reached the gate, Madam Qian paused and turned to instruct, "If you are ready in the next two days, please come to Mingxin Pavilion."
Upon hearing this, he smiled and nodded in agreement, saying he would head there tomorrow to begin refining pills at any time, guaranteeing her satisfaction.
Seeing this, Madam Qian gave him a glare and said curiously, "You are a strange person. You've shown two different faces, calling me 'Madam' so smoothly."
Before accepting the special guest offering jade token, the young Taoist had a solemn expression. After receiving it, he immediately adopted a smiling demeanor. It wasn't flattery or intentional fawning, but his attitude had clearly become much more amicable.
It was as if they had transformed from strangers meeting for the first time into old friends who had known each other for years, yet she felt no trace of opportunism. Instead, it seemed as if it was meant to be.
"There should not be many people in this world who would refuse money."
Ji Yuan did not hold back and spoke his mind directly.
It was precisely this straightforwardness, without resorting to flowery pleasantries, that made Madam Qian look upon him more favorably.
"My full name is Qian Nishang. Be sure to remember it, lest you don't even know your Madam's name."
She looked at him intently again, then leisurely departed with Liu Ruyan.
Only after watching the two of them board a carriage at the end of the alley did Ji Yuan withdraw his gaze and return to the small courtyard of the Taoist temple.
He sat back down on the chair, his smile instantly vanishing, replaced by a look of solemnity.
At the same time, the door of a small room was opened, and Zhao Yuansong and the others emerged, each pulling up a chair to sit.
"This Mountain River Pouch is much finer than the one the elders in the sect hang!"
Xu Qiqi looked at the cloth bag on the table, her eyes filled with envy.
What cultivator in this world wouldn't want to have a Mountain River Pouch hanging from their waist?
Not only for convenience, but among low-level cultivators, it was a symbol of status and prestige.
After all, if one lacked ability or a prominent family background, who would be willing to spend so much money to purchase a Mountain River Pouch that only offered storage, but no offensive or defensive capabilities?
"Your choice today might turn out to be either a blessing or a curse."
Zhao Yuansong pondered for a long time before finally sighing.
Seeing his worried and complex expression, Ji Yuan's heart stirred. "What do you mean?"
He had felt that this matter might be suspicious beforehand, but he had thought the benefits outweighed the risks. After a moment of thought, he had agreed without hesitation.
Now, seeing his expression, it seemed his suspicions were indeed correct, and there were things he didn't know.
"The reputation of Mingxin Pavilion is quite renowned, even in Feiyun Prefecture."
After a moment of thought, Zhao Yuansong began to speak.
Although Mingxin Pavilion only had a branch in Luoxia Prefecture, its business spanned an entire prefecture. Even in Feiyun Prefecture, several counties away, many forces had good relations with it.
Even the Jiuxuan Sect itself had frequent dealings with Mingxin Pavilion. Outside the mountain gate, in the market town, there was a liaison shop established by them.
He had also happened to hear from an elder that a few years ago, one of the owners of Mingxin Pavilion, the Qian family to which Qian Nishang belonged, had an ancestor at the peak of the third realm whose lifespan had expired, and had passed away.
The critical point was that the Qian family had not produced any other clansmen who had reached the third realm in recent decades. Furthermore, after the ancestor's death, many of their former enemies took the opportunity to retaliate.
As a result, the Qian family's reputation had plummeted in recent years, and their family assets had continuously shrunk. The other two owners of Mingxin Pavilion had taken a considerable portion through unscrupulous means.
If the Qian family could not produce a sufficiently powerful third-realm cultivator within the next twenty to thirty years, they would likely be completely ousted from Mingxin Pavilion and devoured by those who had long coveted them.
"Therefore, whether your becoming a special guest offering of the Qian family is a good thing or a bad thing is uncertain."
Zhao Yuansong shook his head.
Under normal circumstances, this would have been a great fortune, even far exceeding becoming an elder of the Jiuxuan Sect.
But in the current situation, nothing could be said for sure. It was even possible for a good thing to turn into a disaster.
Although the Qian family could indeed provide the promised benefits, it was possible that before Ji Yuan could fully digest these benefits, he would first fall victim to the schemes of the other two families.
Mingxin Pavilion, while primarily a merchant guild, still commanded the services of quite a few third-realm cultivators. With the financial strength of the other two families, even a small portion of their wealth could be used to secretly hire third-realm assassins.
However, Ji Yuan did not show much concern after hearing all this, appearing to be indifferent to it.
"Do not underestimate the strength of Mingxin Pavilion, nor misjudge the bottom lines of those people."
Seeing this, Zhao Yuansong could not help but remind him.
He seemed to fear that Ji Yuan, having never left the borders of Qianyu City, might underestimate the cultivators outside.
This was because within the Jiuxuan Sect, many disciples, despite receiving ample experience and warnings from their elders, had suffered greatly in this regard.
"If they have the capability to send powerful experts into the Jiuxuan Sect, then any worry of mine would be in vain."
However, Ji Yuan winked at Zhao Yuansong.
Hearing this, the other man gave a wry smile, finally understanding that Ji Yuan harbored such intentions.
After a moment of thought, Zhao Yuansong still had a slight doubt. "Taking the benefits and then running away, isn't that a bit... unseemly?"
The Qian family had paid such a great price precisely because they wanted to secure a glimmer of hope for their family.
If they could spread the word that they had recruited a prodigy who was destined to reach the third realm in the future, and was even an outstanding figure among third-realm cultivators, it would undoubtedly buy their family some breathing room.
During this period, whether they found an opportunity to turn the tide or waited for this recruited prodigy to fully mature, the Qian family's current crisis could be resolved.
But if Ji Yuan took the benefits and chose to flee, hiding within the Jiuxuan Sect, it would be a devastating blow to the Qian family.
"You should associate less with Huixin in the future. You've traveled the Jianghu a few times, how have you suddenly become so foolish?"
Ji Yuan rolled his eyes and gave Zhao Yuansong a displeased glance.