This is... a rather spacious area?
Ji Yuan was somewhat stunned, taking a while to recover his senses.
Feeling the vast twenty-zhang square space within the jade thumb ring, he was momentarily at a loss for words.
He knew that a mere Mountain River Pouch he possessed only contained a space of a few zhang square, and it was already worth around a hundred thousand taels of silver.
It was hard to imagine how enormous a sum of money this jade thumb ring would be if converted to silver.
The larger the space within such an item, the higher its value. Beyond ten zhang, the cost in silver increased exponentially with each zhang.
A twenty-zhang square space would likely be worth at least eight hundred thousand taels of silver, and even then, it would be priceless.
"Compared to what we got from the Li family, this is nothing."
Wang Zhenyuan glanced at him, his expression calm and unruffled, as if he were not giving away something worth at least eight hundred thousand taels, but an insignificant trinket.
This demeanor alone filled Ji Yuan and Xia Dong with admiration. One must consider that the annual tax revenue of Luoxia Prefecture was only a little over a million taels of silver, yet this man casually gifted something equivalent to two-thirds of that amount.
"If you are willing in the future, interact more with Xu Lin. Our Ming Jian Division is not made up of wolves and jackals, nor are we as heartless as the rumors suggest."
Wang Zhenyuan pondered for a moment before reminding them.
He also pointed out that the name card he gave them, if crushed in a moment of danger, could unleash an attack comparable to a peak third-realm cultivator.
Although useless against a Golden Core realm cultivator, it could absolutely deliver a fatal blow to anyone at or below the third realm, unless they possessed extraordinary means.
"Alright, you can go about your own business now."
After a few more admonishments, Wang Zhenyuan waved his hand, appearing somewhat impatient.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan immediately bowed in salutation, and then, accompanied by Xia Dong, took his leave.
After they departed, the Commander of the Ming Jian Division let out a sigh of relief. Less than half an hour of conversation had left a trace of weariness in his eyes.
Indeed, human interactions and social graces were more draining than cultivation!
He sighed inwardly, then returned to his room, immersing himself in the tediousness of cultivation.
"This Commander of the Ming Jian Division..."
After leaving the small courtyard, Xia Dong subconsciously wanted to say something, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he quickly covered it.
For such a high-ranking figure with profound cultivation, even if they were separated by only a wall, or even hundreds or thousands of zhang away, he could still hear them clearly if he wished.
However, even though Xia Dong did not finish his sentence, Ji Yuan knew what he wanted to say and nodded in understanding.
This man could be considered an unusual figure. His combat prowess was not only unparalleled in the prefecture but he himself was a legend, otherwise, he would not have been able to preside over the Ming Jian Division of a prefecture.
Yet, the man rumored to dare to draw his blade against celestial beings, and even slay the beloved direct descendant of a powerful figure to their face, turned out to be like a frail young man.
And he seemed... a bit fearful of contact with others?
Finally, the impatience in his eyes was clearly seen by Ji Yuan; it was not directed at them, but at the act of conversing with people.
"This can perhaps be considered a unique trait of the powerful, can't it?"
He muttered to himself, then quickly dismissed these thoughts.
To a strong individual, even harboring thoughts of criticism in one's heart was disrespectful, especially when that person was the Commander of the Ming Jian Division, who had spent most of his life fighting for the court and the common people.
As the two emerged from the gates of the Ming Jian Division, they immediately spotted a young man with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes waiting outside the yamen.
"Lord Xu, what are you doing standing here?"
Upon seeing this young man, Ji Yuan's face broke into a smile, and he called out loudly.
He had a very good impression of this Blade Bearer of the Ming Jian Division. Despite their different temperaments, they had gotten along quite harmoniously in their few encounters.
"Let's go, come drinking with me!"
Xu Lin tossed a parcel, about the size of a millstone, to Ji Yuan, then turned and walked away into the distance.
Without a doubt, this parcel contained Ji Yuan's share of the spoils.
When they were in Qianyu City, he had struck a deal with this man: all merit and achievements would go to Xu Lin, along with a decent quality magic artifact, and the abundant spiritual energy contained within.
In exchange, Xu Lin would handle all matters, ensuring that they would not be entangled by karma or attract the court's attention.
Of course, in addition to this, Xu Lin also had to provide some benefits.
After Ji Yuan received the parcel, he quickly followed, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with this arrogant prodigy of the Ming Jian Division down the street.
As for whether this action would attract attention or entangle him in karma, he was indifferent.
Avoiding karma in daily life was to prevent unnecessary trouble, not to live by it. If that were the case, he might as well find a secluded mountain and live in seclusion, detached from the world.
"You waited for me outside specifically?"
He suddenly asked.
Hearing this, Xu Lin did not reply, merely glancing at him with feigned disdain, as if to say, "You think you're worthy?"
Seeing this, Ji Yuan grinned, not bothering to call him out.
Soon, the three arrived at a small, sparsely patronized tavern and took a seat by the window on the second floor.
Besides two pots of wine and a few small dishes, they ordered nothing else, appearing rather casual.
"The owner of this tavern was once a Blade Bearer of the Ming Jian Division. He was severely injured and lost his cultivation during a raid to suppress a troublesome ghost. So he opened this tavern, specializing in providing a place for the Ming Jian Division to relax."
Xu Lin said with a low tone, then informed them that the wine and food here were specially prepared, not only free of impurities but also containing a hint of spiritual energy.
Ji Yuan was not particularly bothered by this. Although cultivators paid great attention to what they consumed, sometimes one didn't need to be overly concerned.
Otherwise, what was the point of such arduous cultivation?
It was wonderful if one could attain eternal life, but beyond that, there were many other things worth savoring with a calm heart.
"This time, thanks to your schemes, the Ming Jian Division has made a fortune. I toast you with this cup of wine!"
When the food and wine arrived, Xu Lin poured them both a full cup and then raised his and drank it down in one gulp.
If Ji Yuan had not given prior notice and provided detailed intelligence, the Ming Jian Division would likely have missed the opportunity to intervene in the Li family matter as they had in the past, and could only have watched from the sidelines.
Instead, it was now beyond merely "filling their coffers." After confiscating the Li family's mansion, although a portion had to be handed over to the prefectural governor to be submitted to the court, the remaining items were still immensely valuable.
Not to mention the several storage bags on the Li family patriarch, and the mountains of precious spiritual materials piled up in the jade thumb ring.
It could be said that this single incident brought the Ming Jian Division more wealth than they had accumulated in decades!
"It was just a small effort, and also to make a friend."
Ji Yuan said with a smile, also downing his cup of wine in one go.
However, being young and not having drunk much before, he choked slightly, his face turning a little red.
Seeing this, Xu Lin showed no sign of mockery. Instead, his expression was grave.
"To you, it might have been a small effort, but to everyone in the Ming Jian Division, it is a great kindness. We owe you a debt of gratitude. If you ever need anything, just say the word. As long as it does not violate the laws of the court, we will follow you through fire and water!"
Ji Yuan was taken aback by this statement, unable to comprehend how it had escalated to such a degree.
He only began to understand somewhat through Xu Lin's subsequent explanation: the Ming Jian Division had been severely lacking funds in recent years.
To ensure sufficient cultivation resources and the treatment costs for injured Blade Bearers, they had already depleted seventy to eighty percent of the Ming Jian Division's funds.
Even though everyone tightened their belts and even found ways to earn extra money, they still owed considerable compensation to fallen Blade Bearers, leaving many orphans and widows without means.
The substantial profits from the Li family incident not only covered the outstanding compensation but also allowed them to repay it threefold!
This finally lifted a burden from the hearts of all the Blade Bearers, preventing them from suffering such emotional torment daily.
Furthermore, the remaining funds were sufficient for them to cultivate freely, no longer worrying about the cost of treatment for injuries, nor fearing that their families would struggle to survive after their deaths.
For all the Blade Bearers of the Ming Jian Division, this was undoubtedly a significant act of kindness.
Understanding the reason behind it, Ji Yuan couldn't help but offer a wry smile. This was indeed something he had not considered beforehand, nor had he planned for it.
"I appreciate your kindness, but you truly don't need to do this."
He sighed softly, politely refusing.
If it were the kindness of other factions, sects, or even officials appointed by the court like the prefect, he would gladly accept.
However, he truly did not wish to accept the kindness of the Blade Bearers of the Ming Jian Division. The reason was simple: these people were truly risking their lives to protect the countless citizens of the Great Yu Dynasty.
Even under the most difficult conditions, to the point of not having money for medical treatment when injured, they had never complained, always charging into the most dangerous areas.
These were heroes, beings even more worthy of respect than martial heroes.
Accepting their kindness would make Ji Yuan feel uneasy and go against his own conscience.
"Whether you accept it or not is your business. Whether we remember it is ours."
Xu Lin gave him a sideways glance and focused on drinking his wine.
Hearing this, Ji Yuan shook his head helplessly, unsure how to persuade him.
After a long period of thought, he decided to let them have their way. If some matters were too rigid, it would only make both parties unhappy.
"The Qian family may have over a dozen layers of formations and an ancestral magic treasure, but they are ultimately not safe enough when facing truly powerful individuals."
He put down his wine cup and said solemnly, "Now that you also have the Commander's name card, if you encounter danger, don't hesitate to come to the Ming Jian Division. Here, even a Golden Core realm cultivator would not dare to act rashly."
Ji Yuan knew that Xu Lin was being modest. With Commander Wang Zhenyuan's combat power, comparable to a peak Golden Core cultivator, it would not be an exaggeration to call this one of the safest places in Lingyang Prefecture.
In fact, according to the intelligence gathered by Ming Xin Xuan, if it weren't for the Commander's reluctance to interact with people and his preference to stay in this prefecture, the position of the Ming Jian Division Commander in the prefectural city would have been his.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he looked at Xu Lin with suspicion, "Is something else going to happen in the city?"
If not, there would be no need for him to specifically mention this at this moment.
Indeed, upon hearing his question, Xu Lin's expression immediately darkened.