396: Li Xuan's anxiety

Not far away, a few Southern Border villagers stood on the ridges of the fields, watching the busy Ten Thousand Gu Sect Disciples, the wariness on their faces gradually dissipating.

In the past, when they saw Ten Thousand Gu Sect Disciples, they would flee in all directions in terror, fearing they would be captured to refine Gu. But now, seeing these Disciples working hard to reclaim the land and rebuild their homes, the fear in their hearts was gradually replaced by gratitude.

A few older villagers, carrying coarse tea they had brewed themselves, walked cautiously to the edge of the fields and handed it to the sweating Disciples, their voices hoarse but sincere:

"Little Master, have some tea and take a rest."

The Disciple was stunned for a moment and subconsciously looked at Withered Bone Ascetic. Seeing that he did not object, the Disciple hurriedly took the tea and bowed in thanks:

"Thank you, Elderly Man."

Just then, a sound transmission talisman vibrated in Withered Bone Ascetic's Storage Pouch. He took it out and infused it with spiritual energy, and Mysterious Clarity Master's voice came through clearly:

"Fellow Daoist Withered Bone, come to the Royal Capital immediately. Li Zhong, the commander of the Heaven-Patrolling Iron Cavalry, has arrived to investigate the Nether Crow Ridge incident. He needs you to report the situation in person. Do not delay."

After listening, Withered Bone Ascetic's expression instantly became solemn. He stomped his foot hard, and the ground beneath him caved in several inches. The surrounding Disciples and villagers were startled by the movement and stopped what they were doing, looking at him with awe.

"Damn it! Those Heaven-Patrolling Iron Cavalry bastards have come knocking after all!"

He cursed in a low voice, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination.

Situ Jun's orders were still ringing in his ears. Now that the Heaven-Patrolling Iron Cavalry was investigating strictly, he had to cooperate and deal with them as quickly as possible to avoid implicating Situ Jun.

"Da Tou!"

Withered Bone Ascetic turned to look at a tall, thin Disciple with sharp eyes standing behind him.

"Disciple is here!"

The Disciple named Da Tou hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, his eyes full of awe, not daring to be negligent.

"I leave the reconstruction and reclamation here to you."

Withered Bone Ascetic continued in a serious tone:

"Be sure to finish reclaiming these hundred acres of fertile land and sow the seeds within ten days. For subsequent reconstruction materials, go and coordinate with the people from the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce and have them prioritize the allocation. If anyone dares to be lazy, play tricks, or shirk responsibility, there is no need to report—handle them directly according to the sect rules!"

"Yes, Disciple obeys! Rest assured, Elder Withered Bone, I will not fail my mission!" Da Tou bowed and accepted the order, his voice firm.

Withered Bone Ascetic said no more. A thick layer of black mist rose around him, and his body turned into a streak of light, rushing toward the Royal Capital.

His speed was extremely fast, like an arrow leaving a bow. The mountains, rivers, and lush bamboo forests along the way receded rapidly in his sight, while he calculated in his heart how to respond to the Qintian Division's questioning.

Meanwhile, in a secret room at the headquarters of the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce in the Royal Capital, Mo Chenggui was checking a Jade Slip containing news of the reconstruction progress in various parts of the Southern Border.

The Jade Slip clearly marked the material consumption of each village, the number of houses built, the needs of the people, and the movements of the Disciples. Every item was recorded in detail and was clear at a glance.

When he saw the record in the Jade Slip that "Withered Bone Ascetic of the Ten Thousand Gu Sect personally supervised the Disciples in reclaiming fertile land, and the people's attitude has softened," Mo Chenggui pursed his lips, a hint of praise and amusement flashing in his eyes.

"That fellow Withered Bone Ascetic isn't entirely a slippery rogue."

Mo Chenggui muttered to himself, tapped the Jade Slip lightly with his fingertip, and an instruction was sent out:

"Send out an order to provide an additional batch of farming tools and cold-resistant seeds to the Southern Border. Ensure that the farming proceeds smoothly without error. Also, inform the Southern Border Chamber of Commerce Disciples to cooperate fully with the Ten Thousand Gu Sect's reconstruction work and avoid any conflicts."

Just then, the sound transmission jade talisman in his robes suddenly lit up.

His eyes flashed as he took it out and infused it with spiritual energy. Mysterious Clarity Master's steady voice slowly came through, informing him of the situation in the Royal Capital and Li Zhong's requirements one by one.

Mo Chenggui's expression instantly became serious. He put away the Jade Slip, walked to the window, and looked at the sky patrol warship hovering in the distance, his gaze deep.

"After waiting for a day, it has finally come."

He spoke in a low voice, adjusted his collar, and regained his usual composure.

As a core Elder of the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce, he had seen countless storms, but facing a lineup like the Heaven-Patrolling Iron Cavalry, he could not help but feel a bit solemn.

Mo Chenggui took a deep breath, turned, and called out loudly toward the door:

"Someone, come."

A Deacon dressed in a green robe with a respectful expression walked in quickly and bowed:

"Elder, what are your orders?"

"All affairs of the chamber of commerce will be temporarily handled by you and Manager Zhang."

Mo Chenggui continued in a serious tone:

"Tell Manager Zhang that everything is to proceed according to the original plan. Whether it is the reconstruction of the Southern Border or the dispatch of merchant caravans across the regions, do not let external changes cause panic, and do not take it upon yourselves to change the plans. Additionally, keep a close eye on the movements in the Royal Capital, especially the sky patrol warship and the imperial palace. If there is any development, report to me immediately without delay or omission."

"Yes, Elder!"

The Deacon answered respectfully, not daring to be negligent. After bowing again, he slowly backed out of the room.

Mo Chenggui did not delay further. His figure flickered and disappeared from the room like a ghost, leaving only a faint afterimage... Inside a Side Hall of the Tianqi Imperial Palace.

Li Xuan, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, sat on his chair but was restless. His hands tightly gripped the hem of his dragon robe, and he looked out of the hall from time to time, his expression anxious and his brow full of worry.

Mysterious Clarity Master sat on a Prayer Mat to the side, his eyes slightly closed, resting his mind. His aura was steady, as if he were completely unaffected by the external atmosphere. But if one looked closely, they would see his fingertips twitching slightly; clearly, he was also secretly pondering a strategy.

"State Preceptor, do you think... Commander Li Zhong has been investigating for a day, will he blame us for the Tianqi Dynasty's failure in management?"

Li Xuan finally could not suppress his inner unease and could not help but ask, his voice tinged with worry.

Hearing this, Mysterious Clarity Master slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was calm and deep as he looked at Li Xuan and spoke slowly:

"The Sovereign need not worry too much. This time, the unsealing of Cultivation was caused by Yin Gu and Village Elder Gongsun taking the lead to provoke and forcibly break the restriction. It has nothing to do with our Tianqi Dynasty, nor did we have any intention of condoning it. As for the person who achieved a Breakthrough in Cultivation, even we could not detect them with our Cultivation, so the Heaven-Patrolling Iron Cavalry likely won't trouble the Sovereign without reason."

Despite these words, the unease in Li Xuan's heart did not diminish in the slightest.

As the Lord of Tianqi, he knew well the power and dominance of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty. In the past, even if the Tianqi Dynasty were slightly careless and violated the laws of the Imperial Dynasty, they would be severely punished, let alone such a major event as a Cultivator unsealing their Cultivation without permission.

His only hope now was that Withered Bone Ascetic and Mo Chenggui could arrive at the palace as soon as possible, report the situation truthfully to Li Zhong, resolve the matter to Perfection, satisfy the Heaven-Patrolling Iron Cavalry, and allow the Tianqi Dynasty to escape this crisis of trust.