Scarlet Blossom Fruit Gift Invites a High Adept

Tian Guofu was dumbfounded. The gentry of Qingping Town were dumbfounded. Even the yamen runners from the county office were dumbfounded!

Zhang Qingyun dropped heavily to his knees and shouted, "Demons run rampant in Qingshan County, harming innocent lives. They command the winds and waves, coercing the people of the entire county to offer them boys and girls every year. Such conduct outrages both Heaven and man!"

"I, Qingyun, have the undeserved honor of serving as Qingshan County's magistrate. I absolutely cannot tolerate those demons continuing their rampage. Yet I lack even the strength to truss a chicken. Though I wish to slay demons, I am powerless to do so."

"I have heard that you, Daoist, possess peerless Dao arts, great magical power, and great compassion. Thus, I have come especially to invite you to descend from the mountain."

"I ask only that you vent the righteous fury of Qingshan County's innocent people and eliminate that demon."

"If you can eliminate that demon, Daoist, no matter what you request, Qingyun will spare no effort to fulfill it."

"Furthermore, Qingyun is willing to lead all the gentry and people of the county in taking refuge in Penglai, and to erect a statue of you, Daoist, to pray for blessings!"

After shouting his piece, Zhang Qingyun bowed deeply.

Tian Guofu hurriedly signaled to those around him, and they too knelt down.

Before the tranquil mountain Daoist temple, a great crowd of people knelt just like that.

Who knew how much time passed? Zhang Qingyun felt that his legs had gone numb from kneeling.

Even those old immortals of the Lineage had never put on such airs, yet this Jiang Sheng had actually accepted it all.

At last, just as Zhang Qingyun felt he was being toyed with and was about to rise, a voice came from within the Daoist temple once more.

"Fine. Come in."

Letting out a long breath, Zhang Qingyun hurriedly scrambled to his feet. After straightening himself out, he led his attendants into the Daoist temple.

The temple was not large, but it was exceedingly harmonious. It faintly carried the feeling of nature and Heaven and Earth, as though everything here secretly accorded with some profound rhythm.

The more he looked, the more extraordinary it seemed.

Upon reaching the main hall, Zhang Qingyun saw a portrait of an immortal hanging high within. Beneath it, a Daoist in blue robes sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion with his back to them.

Zhang Qingyun first lit incense and paid his respects to the portrait. Then he saluted Jiang Sheng. "Zhang Qingyun greets Daoist Jiang. I offer you my respects."

"You are too courteous, County Magistrate." Jiang Sheng's voice was calm, natural, and unhurried.

Zhang Qingyun explained his purpose once more, then again earnestly invited Jiang Sheng to descend the mountain.

But Jiang Sheng said, "This poor Daoist cultivates quietly in the mountains. The river god of Taiping River has not come to provoke this poor Daoist, so why should this poor Daoist act?"

Zhang Qingyun froze, then made another promise. "If Daoist agrees, Qingyun is willing to submit a memorial to the imperial court and turn all of Qingping Mountain into your Daoist grounds."

"Everything upon the mountain will belong to you, Daoist. Even Qingping Town can become a place that offers tribute to you!"

Hearing Magistrate Zhang make such lavish promises, Tian Guofu was utterly stunned. What did this have to do with Qingping Town?

Why did they have to gain another great deity over their heads?

But this was no place for Tian Guofu to speak, so he could only lower his head and remain silent.

After hearing this, Jiang Sheng glanced at Tian Guofu, his expression still indifferent. "What use does this poor Daoist have for a town's offerings? This poor Daoist does not lack such things."

Zhang Qingyun was stunned. He did not know what else he could promise.

Jiang Sheng suddenly smiled. "County Magistrate, you have been rather sincere this time."

"Very well. This poor Daoist will temporarily accept the Scarlet Blossom Fruit gift. If County Magistrate can also invite some cultivators to lend their aid, then it is not as though this poor Daoist cannot act."

"Regardless of the outcome, Qingping Mountain shall be this poor Daoist's Daoist grounds. Without this poor Daoist's permission, no one may set foot upon it. And when this poor Daoist acts shall likewise be decided by this poor Daoist."

"Can County Magistrate agree to these terms?"

Zhang Qingyun gritted his teeth and agreed. "Everything shall be as Daoist says!"

Jiang Sheng smiled. "Then County Magistrate is satisfied as well? May you return to the county office now?"

Zhang Qingyun had originally wanted to invite Jiang Sheng to visit the county seat, but now he could not bring himself to say it. He could only leave in silence.

After returning to Qingshan County in a rather sorry state, Zhang Qingyun told his daughter what had happened and was deeply dejected.

"I never expected that not only would I fail to invite him, but I would also lose all the dignity of a county magistrate before so many people."

Zhang Qing casually picked up a pastry and put it into her mouth, smiling as she said, "Achieving such a result is already no easy matter."

"I heard that Daoist Jiang is a high adept of Penglai. It is hardly surprising that he has such a temperament."

"Besides, has Daoist Jiang not already agreed to act? We merely need to invite some cultivators to assist him when the time comes."

Zhang Qingyun nodded. "For now, that is all we can do."

Zhang Qing continued, "If we truly intend to eliminate the demon in Taiping River, relying on Daoist Jiang alone will likely not be enough."

"Dongjun is vast, and who knows how many Rogue Cultivators there are. Beyond Dongjun, Qing Province has several sects, all with high adept masters in residence. If we can invite even one of them, our chances will increase by several degrees."

Zhang Qingyun silently nodded after hearing this. "Qing'er is right. Your father never expected Daoist Jiang to slay the river god alone."

Zhang Qing smiled. "One of my close friends is now an inner disciple of the Moon-Embracing Sect in Qing Province. I can ask her to come down the mountain and help. She should be more reliable than Daoist Jiang."

Only then did Zhang Qingyun finally breathe a sigh of relief. "Excellent. Then your father will make preparations and invite more cultivators from throughout Qing Province."

Meanwhile, in Qingping Mountain, Tian Guofu finally gathered his courage and asked, "Daoist Jiang, did you not say—"

Jiang Sheng glanced at Tian Guofu, looking somewhat languid. "Does Town Chief Tian mean that this poor Daoist said Qingping Town's safety had nothing to do with this poor Daoist?"

Tian Guofu nodded with an awkward smile.

Jiang Sheng shook his head, his expression still calm. "Qingping Town's safety indeed has nothing to do with this poor Daoist. But this poor Daoist has discovered that Taiping River lies too close to Qingping Mountain."

"So close that, if this poor Daoist went alone, it would take only a few hours to make a round trip."

As he spoke, a trace of solemnity entered Jiang Sheng's originally placid aura. "It is true that this poor Daoist dislikes meddling in others' affairs, but this poor Daoist will not indulge demons spying beside his very couch!"

"If Magistrate Zhang can truly find more cultivators to help, this poor Daoist is still willing to casually eliminate this disaster lurking so close at hand."

Only then did Tian Guofu understand. From beginning to end, Jiang Sheng had never considered whether the people of Qingping Town lived or died. Tian Guofu had simply been overthinking it all.

Jiang Sheng glanced at Tian Guofu again. "Town Chief Tian, this poor Daoist does not mind telling you."

"If your Magistrate Zhang brings back a pile of Qi Refining Realm cultivators, then forget about subduing demons and eliminating evil. This poor Daoist will not return the Scarlet Blossom Fruit gift, and will simply sit and watch Magistrate Zhang and those Qi Refining Realm cultivators deliver themselves as blood food to the demon."

Tian Guofu nodded repeatedly. "Understood, understood. I understand everything."

Jiang Sheng then waved his hand. Tian Guofu, who knew how to read the room, promptly left. He knew Jiang Sheng was sending him away.

After Tian Guofu left, Jiang Sheng suddenly sighed. His right hand closed in empty air, and a Dharma sword appeared in his grasp.

The sword was three feet six inches long, entirely pitch-black, with Green Lotus coiling around it. It was an exceptionally fine Dharma artifact.

Resting the sword across his knees, Jiang Sheng sat with his back straight and gently wiped the Dharma artifact that had accompanied him down the mountain to slay demons. "A demon of the Purple Mansion Realm? This poor Daoist truly wants to test it."