Zhenjiang City

While Lu Qingshan was speaking with Lin Yao.

Empowered by the formation, Lin He had already subdued all eight remaining monster hunters.

Seeing Lu Qingshan talking with his young lady, Lin He tactfully waited silently to one side.

"Fellow Daoist Lu." Only after Lu Qingshan and Lin Yao had finished speaking did Lin He step forward and interject.

Lin He handed over a sandalwood box.

Lu Qingshan accepted it and opened it. Inside lay five Third-grade Spirit Stones.

Lin He explained, "Please do not misunderstand, Fellow Daoist Lu. Five Third-grade Spirit Stones are naturally nowhere near enough to repay your life-saving grace. These spirit stones are payment for escorting our Lin Family convoy to Zhenjiang City."

After the recent battle, Lin He now had a clear understanding of Lu Qingshan's strength.

There was still a long journey ahead. Should they encounter demon beasts along the way, they would likely have to rely on Lu Qingshan.

And given Lu Qingshan's cultivation, a reward of thirty First-grade Spirit Stones was far too shabby.

Lu Qingshan understood his intentions. He did not accept Lin He's kindness, returning the sandalwood box as he said, "Since I accepted the task you posted at the Monster Hunter Alliance, escorting the convoy to Zhenjiang City is already my duty. There is no need for additional payment."

Seeing that Lu Qingshan would not accept the spirit stones, Lin He did not dare insist and could only put the sandalwood box back into his Storage Bag.

Lu Qingshan swept his gaze over the scene.

Considering the severe shortage of manpower in the convoy, they would not have been able to guard too many captives even if they had kept them.

Thus, Lin He showed no mercy. Of the remaining eight monster hunters, only Ma Shan and Liu Ai were spared. All the rest had turned to ashes beneath the Fire Snake Formation.

Ma Shan and Liu Ai were being kept as witnesses.

The Ma Family had colluded with Ma Yuan, who refined evil gu. Once this matter was confirmed, the Ma Family would surely cease to exist.

The night swiftly passed.

Though this upheaval had cut the number of cultivators in the Lin Family convoy by half, and nearly all the remaining cultivators were wounded.

The convoy still had to continue toward Zhenjiang City.

Fortunately, they had that Sword Cultivator.

Thinking of this, the Lin Family cultivators cautiously glanced at Lu Qingshan, who sat atop a large cart carrying goods.

They immediately felt much more at ease.

Lu Qingshan leaned against the cart, his eyes half-closed as he feigned sleep.

Seeing this, everyone in the convoy consciously softened their movements and voices, afraid of disturbing Lu Qingshan.

It was a form of respect for the strong.

Yuanshan Tower.

Tower Master Tantai Qingrun, Deputy Tower Master Jiang Rong, and the stewards of Yuanshan Tower's various departments had gathered together.

Two days had passed since the battle at the City Lord's Manor.

Given Yuanshan Tower's efficiency and influence in Yuanshan City, two days had been enough for them to purge every Underworld-affiliated force involved in the matter.

"Myriad Treasures Tower, Ku Mansion, Baleful Intent Pavilion, and the City Lord's Manor—these are all forces of the Underworld within Yuanshan City." Jiang Rong reported to Tantai Qingrun, seated at the head.

Jiang Rong's gaze was grim. "We have already dispatched cultivators to seize all of these forces.

Their leaders are currently imprisoned in the Prison Department, where the Prison Department cultivators are thoroughly interrogating them.

There should be results in another day or two. Not a single person who colluded with the Underworld will escape."

"The Underworld's infiltration runs so deep that it involves nearly a third of Yuanshan City's cultivator forces!" Tantai Qingrun snorted coldly.

The Yuanshan Tower cultivators present all fell silent, not daring to say another word.

Among the one hundred and eight county cities under Zhenjiang Prefecture, Yuanshan City was certainly the city into which the Underworld had invested the most resources.

Otherwise, the Underworld would not have chosen Yuanshan City as the site of its operation, luring Qi Yuan here.

"How is the blood pool?" Tantai Qingrun raised a brow and asked.

A middle-aged male cultivator responsible for the matter promptly stood and replied, "Rest assured, Tower Master. After Senior Feng Xingzi broke the illusion formation, we completely destroyed the blood pool."

Tantai Qingrun nodded, then turned to Jiang Rong. "Jiang Rong, hasten the interrogation of the cultivators from these implicated forces. Do not let a single guilty person go."

"Yes, Tower Master!"

"Good. We shall end here for today."

"Yes!" the Yuanshan Tower cultivators answered.

Before long, the Yuanshan Tower cultivators present all withdrew.

Only Tantai Qingrun remained.

Tantai Qingrun took out a blank Jade Slip and sent her divine sense into it. After pondering for a while, she finally recorded the entire course of the battle at Yuanshan City's City Lord's Manor within the Jade Slip.

Only, Lu Qingshan's name did not appear within it.

After finishing the record, Tantai Qingrun seemed to think of something else. After hesitating briefly, she added another short passage to the Jade Slip: "The City Lord of Yuanshan City was a member of the Underworld. This clearly demonstrates the extent of the Underworld's infiltration into our human race. I recommend a thorough investigation of the upper echelons of every human city, lest such an absurd affair occur again."

After adding this passage, Tantai Qingrun nodded in satisfaction. She summoned the black-robed cultivator waiting outside the door and handed him the Jade Slip.

"Deliver it to Zhenjiang Tower as quickly as possible," Tantai Qingrun instructed.

Just as Zhenjiang City governed one hundred and eight county cities, Zhenjiang Tower was also the superior of their branch towers in these county cities, governing them.

Such an important matter as the battle in Yuanshan City naturally had to be fully reported to Zhenjiang Tower.

"Wait." As the black-robed cultivator turned to leave with the Jade Slip, Tantai Qingrun's heart stirred, and she called him back.

"Jiang Rong is highly capable and utterly loyal to the human race. He can be entrusted with great responsibility!" Tantai Qingrun took back the Jade Slip from the black-robed cultivator and added this sentence to it.

Tantai Qingrun naturally understood the magnitude of the merit earned this time, and she also knew that she would certainly receive a promotion afterward.

Once she was promoted, the position of Yuanshan Tower Master would become vacant.

Though she had worked with Jiang Rong for only three years, Tantai Qingrun knew his abilities and character well. She also believed that Jiang Rong could maintain Yuanshan City's current favorable situation.

Therefore, she wanted to give Jiang Rong a helping hand as much as she could.

With her recommendation, Jiang Rong's chances of being promoted to Tower Master of Yuanshan Tower might not be one hundred percent, but they were surely as good as ten to one.

As for herself.

Tantai Qingrun smiled faintly.

She was already the Tower Master of Yuanshan Tower. If she were promoted further, aside from being transferred to Zhenjiang Tower, what other destination could there be?

On the wilderness, the Lin Family convoy.

Over the next several days, everything was exceptionally calm.

To the Lin Family cultivators, nothing happening was a good thing.

For unexpected incidents in the wilderness were too unpredictable. Not only did they mean trouble, they could also bring death.

Thus, when the Lin Family convoy neared Zhenjiang City, everyone could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Here, Lu Qingshan was to part ways with the Lin Family convoy.

The Lin Family convoy was heading to Huoyun Peak, a hundred li from Zhenjiang City.

Huoyun Peak was where the Lin Family of Zhenjiang City was located.

Lu Qingshan's destination, meanwhile, was Zhenjiang City.

"This is the proof. Young Master Lu may use it to settle the task at the Monster Hunter Alliance." Lin Yao handed a Jade Slip to Lu Qingshan.

Then, after hesitating for a moment, Lin Yao pressed her lips together and said, "Though my Lin Family is but a humble household, we have still been taught to repay kindness. We have no way to repay Young Master Lu's life-saving grace. If Young Master Lu ever has need of us in the future, please do not hesitate to command us."

Lu Qingshan answered with a light smile, "Of course."

"If Miss Lin encounters any trouble, you may also come find me in Zhenjiang City. I will be staying there for some time." At their parting, Lu Qingshan said this to Lin Yao.

Lin Yao watched Lu Qingshan's departing figure.

Her brows drew tightly together.

Lu Qingshan's words appeared to be nothing more than ordinary polite pleasantries.

Yet for some reason, whenever she recalled the look in Lu Qingshan's eyes as he said them, she always felt there was some deeper meaning hidden within.

It was as though Lu Qingshan had already determined that she would encounter some sort of trouble.