Minxin Commandery, the Commandery Governor's Residence.
In the residence's lavish main hall, a middle-aged cultivator sighed softly.
The position of commandery governor seemed lofty and powerful, granting authority over a commandery's military, government, and people's livelihoods, but that depended on the commandery's rank.
In some powerful commanderies at the heart of the Great Shang Imperial Dynasty, the governor could even rival a provincial governor in cultivation, possessing the strength of a Spirit Transformation Venerable.
But Minxin Commandery was the most remote and weakest commandery in the Great Shang Imperial Dynasty. Its publicly acknowledged strongest cultivator was merely Five Tigers True Lord, Li Hu, at Nascent Soul Peak.
"Why the sudden sigh, Governor?" Li Hu asked bluntly. "Is it because of that wicked dragon at Jianjiang Estuary?"
"Indeed. I suppose I have poor luck."
The governor's brow remained furrowed. "The losses caused by this flood were so severe that the commandery's people have been displaced. Moreover, in all my years in office, I have failed to discover any brilliantly talented cultivation prodigies within Minxin Commandery. At the year-end assessment ten years from now, my superiors will most likely grade me 'poor.' What am I to do?"
Seeing the governor speak so frankly instead of drinking tea and talking in circles as usual, Li Hu froze briefly.
It seemed that wicked dragon at Jianjiang Estuary was indeed troublesome. Even the governor was at his wits' end.
But he had only reached Nascent Soul Peak after immense effort. How could he possibly fight that wicked dragon to the death for a few commoners?
"Unfortunately, my cultivation is too low to match that wicked dragon. Otherwise, I would certainly take its head for you and quell the people's outrage."
Li Hu sighed as well, retreating to advance as he tactfully refused.
"True Lord Li,