39: Chapter 39 In Linqingyang County

"Counting you and me, there are five of us in total. The other three are Grandmaster deacons from the East Peak, Chen Yue and Fang Qingyun, along with an Inner Sect Disciple at Xiantian Peak named Privy Councilor Zhao Yuanlang, who will handle the menial tasks."

Senior Brother Gu Changfeng took a scroll from his sleeve and pushed it toward you, "This is the intelligence sent back by our scouts. The location of the Blood Lotus Cult's stronghold, their numbers, and information on known experts are all inside. Junior Sister, take a look first."

You took the file and opened it to examine it closely.

The Blood Lotus Cult is an evil cult that has been spreading across the Great Qing in recent years, using the guise of "The Blood Lotus Saves the World" to bewitch the common people, while actually harvesting essence and blood to Cultivate evil arts.

According to the scouts, the missionary at this stronghold in Qinghe Prefecture is named Red Viper, who has the cultivation of a Middle Stage Grandmaster, with over thirty followers, four of whom are in the Innate Realm.

You closed the file.

Middle Stage Grandmaster.

You glanced at the lineup present—Senior Brother Gu Changfeng, a Late Stage Grandmaster; yourself, a Late Stage Grandmaster; Chen Yue and Fang Qingyun, Early Stage Grandmasters; and Privy Councilor Zhao Yuanlang, at Xiantian Peak.

Five against one Middle Stage Grandmaster.

You turned your head and thought about it, feeling that there was nothing wrong with this. If you can gang up on someone, why fight one-on-one? This isn't a Jianghu hero from some storybook.

"What does Junior Sister think?" Senior Brother Gu Changfeng asked at the right moment when he saw you put down the file.

"No problem." You pushed the file back, "When do we leave?"

"Gather at the mountain gate in one hour."

You nodded, stood up, and returned to the inner courtyard.

Xiao Wang was lying under the ginkgo tree sunbathing; seeing you enter, it flicked its tail.

"I'm not taking you." You squatted down and rubbed its head, "Wait at home."

Xiao Wang yawned, rolled over, and exposed its belly to the sky, clearly displaying an attitude of "Go ahead, go ahead, don't bother me."

The corners of your mouth twitched, and you turned to pack your things.

One hour later, the five of you gathered at the mountain gate and set off on horseback.

It is about a ten-day journey by fast horse from the Cangyun Sect to Qinghe Prefecture. Traveling southeast, the towns along the way became denser, and the atmosphere of the Jianghu gradually grew stronger.

Currently, in the ten prefectures of the Great Qing, each of The Ten Great Sects occupies one, with varying degrees of control, but the pattern is set. Only the Martial Dao Sect stands above them all, collecting tributes from the other nine sects—the reason is simple: among The Ten Great Sects, only the Martial Dao Sect still has an Old Ancestor at the Earthly Immortal rank alive.

A single Earthly Immortal is the Foundation of a sect's transcendence.

The days on the road were not unbearable, but they weren't easy either.

Because Senior Brother Gu Changfeng talked too much.

"Junior Sister, that mountain ahead is called Cuiping Peak. It is rumored that a Great Grandmaster of the Sword Dao attained enlightenment there three hundred years ago—"

"Junior Sister, the osmanthus cakes at this tea house are good. I remember you don't like sweets, but these aren't cloying—"

"Junior Sister, I have already had people make arrangements for tonight's inn. Your room faces south and has good lighting—"

You rode on your horse, eyes fixed forward, expressionless.

Behind you, Chen Yue and Fang Qingyun exchanged a glance and tactfully slowed their horses, increasing the distance. Privy Councilor Zhao Yuanlang, young and ignorant, wanted to move closer, but was grabbed by the back of his collar by Chen Yue and pulled back.

"Senior Brother." You finally spoke.

Senior Brother Gu Changfeng's eyes lit up: "Junior Sister, please speak."

"Focus on the journey."

Senior Brother Gu Changfeng's smile stiffened for a moment, then he shook his head self-deprecatingly, but he did indeed quiet down.

You do not dislike Senior Brother Gu Changfeng. He is an upright and honorable person, knows how to conduct himself with propriety, and his way of pursuing someone is decent enough. But you know that at least half of the reason he is getting close to you is due to the instructions of Sect Leader Qin Tianxing.

More importantly, you have no such intentions.

Ten days later, Qingyang County.

When the mottled stone tablet at the city gate came into view, your hand gripping the reins tightened slightly.

Qingyang County.

You did not expect that one day you would step into this place again.

In your previous life—no, in your last simulation, you had opened a martial arts school here, taught Disciples, and spent the most peaceful and warmest dozen years of your life.

The city is still that city, the layout of the streets has not changed, and even the stall selling sesame seed cakes at the city gate is still in the same old spot.

But you are no longer the Senior Sister Lin Shuang from back then, whose Meridians were shattered and whose martial path was severed.

"We're here." Senior Brother Gu Changfeng reined in his horse and looked back at you, "Has Junior Sister been here before?"

"No." You withdrew your gaze, your tone normal.

In front of the county government office, County Magistrate Liu Pingshan was already waiting with his men.

County Magistrate Liu Pingshan was in his early fifties, slightly plump, with a warm smile plastered on his round face. In his early years, he was an Outer Sect Disciple of the Cangyun Sect with Acquired Realm cultivation. With mediocre Aptitude, he could not advance further, so he switched to a civil position and entered officialdom. The Cangyun Sect has deep roots in Yun Prefecture, and its Disciples are spread across all levels of government; County Magistrate Liu Pingshan is one of them.

"Oh my, Senior Brother Gu Changfeng! Junior Sister Lin Shuang! Fellow Disciples! You've had a hard journey!" County Magistrate Liu Pingshan hurried up to greet you, cupping his hands in a salute, so enthusiastic that he almost rubbed his hands until they sparked, "This humble official has already prepared a banquet to welcome you all!"

Senior Brother Gu Changfeng dismounted and returned the salute: "County Magistrate Liu Pingshan, you are too kind. We are troubling you this time."

You also dismounted, nodded in greeting, and your gaze swept over the row of people in front of the county office.

Then you saw him.

At the end of the line stood a young man wearing the uniform of a constable, around thirty years old, with a tall and straight figure, a handsome face, a heroic air between his brows, and a standard long saber hanging at his waist.

Chief Constable Liu Jiangyue.

He was much more composed than when you saw him in your last simulation.

His cultivation had also reached the Xiantian Middle Stage.

"This is my son, Jiangyue." County Magistrate Liu Pingshan pulled Chief Constable Liu Jiangyue to the front, patted him on the shoulder, and smiled proudly, "His talent is passable, Xiantian Middle Stage, which is considered top-tier in Qingyang County—of course, compared to you fellow Disciples, it's far off, very far off. He is now the Chief Constable of the county, and he will assist you all with this case."

Chief Constable Liu Jiangyue cupped his hands in a salute, his movements disciplined.

"Chief Constable Liu Jiangyue, greetings to all the lords."

His gaze swept past Senior Brother Gu Changfeng and lingered on your face for a few seconds.

Because he noticed that you seemed to have been looking at him, he began to let his imagination run wild.

But soon he quickly averted his gaze, his earlobes turning an unnatural shade of red.

You withdrew your gaze and looked elsewhere.

"Junior Sister Lin Shuang." Senior Brother Gu Changfeng suddenly moved half a step closer and lowered his voice, "Do you know him?"

"No."

"Then just now..."

"Can't I look at the road?"

Senior Brother Gu Changfeng shut his mouth.

...

The welcome banquet was held in the backyard of the county office. The spread was not luxurious, but it was clear that County Magistrate Liu Pingshan had put in effort.

During the banquet, cups were exchanged, and County Magistrate Liu Pingshan kept toasting Senior Brother Gu Changfeng, repeating things like "The Cangyun Sect is this official's roots." Chen Yue and Fang Qingyun socialized with ease, while Privy Councilor Zhao Yuanlang buried his head in eating, clearly not very accustomed to such scenes.

You sat on the right side of Senior Brother Gu Changfeng; the wine cup in front of you remained full, and you did not take a single sip.

Chief Constable Liu Jiangyue sat at the end of the table, occasionally looking up at you, then quickly looking down again. He was different from the Chief Constable Liu Jiangyue of the previous life—in the previous life, he was the son of the county magistrate, full of spirit, and his way of pursuing someone was open and direct. But this time, he was just a small constable at the Xiantian Middle Stage, and facing a table full of Grandmasters, he was clearly much more reserved.