Malicious Fame Spreads Far and Wide, Bound for the Refinement
Although Ye Li was not very familiar with the laws of Dasheng, he had little interest in learning about them.
However, he still chose to respect Prefect Cao's decision.
Putting everything else aside, just from his current remarks, it's clear that this person is a good person who takes unconventional approaches but clearly distinguishes between public and private matters.
In response, Ye Li brought Zeng Fan to his side and entrusted him with the matter, which could be considered as doing his utmost.
As for whether the other party's words were a sincere entrustment or just polite empty talk— Ye Li has never liked to speculate on people's hearts.
That kind of thing is naturally irrelevant.
"..."
As the fading, sharp sword light came into view, a hint of instinctive surprise flashed in Cao Ming's eyes.
His previous judgment was correct.
Although the Dragon Pool Deputy General in front of him possessed an exceptionally powerful aura, he was essentially still at the half-step Dao Evolution Realm and had not yet fully achieved the status of a Domain Lord.
Yet, with such cultivation, he was able to instantly kill Zeng Fan at the second level of the Dao Evolution Realm... There really is such a saint in this world.
Even with Zeng Fan severely injured, his combat prowess was still astonishing.
Furthermore, Ye Li still appeared calm and composed, showing no signs of exhaustion whatsoever.
Clearly, instantly killing a second-level domain lord is far from his limit.
How exactly was this cultivated...?
Suppressing his surprise, Cao Ming turned and walked to the lifeless corpse, his expression complex.
"Keep your composure." His voice betrayed little emotion; he was merely instructing the guards to handle the aftermath.
"The compensation will be paid at three times the standard rate, and Communication Jade Talisman. Any objections may be submitted directly to the yamen."
"Yes, sir!"
In fact, Zeng Fan didn't have to die. If he had reported the plot to assassinate his colleague beforehand, even if the operation failed or was successfully stopped beforehand, Cao Ming could have intervened to save his life during the subsequent accountability process.
Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs" in this world.
Until the guards disappeared at the courtyard gate.
The magnificent prefectural mansion finally returned to peace, with only the sound of the young man brewing tea for himself remaining.
"Actually, his mistakes go far beyond this attack on his colleague." Cao Ming gazed at the fallen leaves in the courtyard, seemingly talking to himself.
"After entering the Dao Evolution Realm, the drawbacks of his youthful eagerness for quick success gradually became apparent. His cultivation speed was far slower than before, which led him to harbor many wicked thoughts."
"For example, deliberately letting the Great Demon that are being hunted escape, waiting until they cause a small-scale panic, and then taking action to wipe them out, thereby improving one's reputation among the people."
"Because he was my handpicked lieutenant, he was spared severe punishment several times, and the higher-ups turned a blind eye to it."
"If I hadn't heard that the spots for the cleansing were gone, I probably wouldn't have been so eager to kill those two Great Void Demons... Sigh."
As he spoke, the middle-aged man in blue robes, who held a prominent position in the Xianjing Continent, sighed again:
"I've mostly been verbally reprimanding him lately. If I had been more ruthless earlier, he probably wouldn't have been so audacious."
"Indeed." Ye Li nodded calmly.
Judging from Cao Ming's account, this is a typical case of being arrogant because of favor, and he should be severely punished in time.
Even the fiercest demons wouldn't dare to Breath-Releasing too much, let alone a commandery's Retainer General.
"..."
Such a blunt assessment caused the prefect to catch his breath slightly, but he quickly recovered.
He was, after all, the governor who controlled a continent.
He quickly concealed his excess emotions, not delving too deeply into the topic, and said calmly:
"Things here are settled. I'll be heading to Yushan soon to oversee the purification ritual, so I won't see you off."
The implication was that Ye Li was being told to leave.
Having just sacrificed a Dao Evolution Realm subordinate general, he can still adjust his state so quickly; truly worthy of being a Venerable One who is well-versed in the ways of the world.
If I were to say he's ruthless now, would he be devastated...? Ye Li's mind raced with thoughts.
Without saying another word, he drank the tea on the table in one gulp, stood up, and walked towards the nearly broken door.
"Oh, right." Just before he was about to leave, Cao Ming's indifferent voice came from behind him again:
"Don't think that just because my Jade Mountain Nine Luminaries Division made a mistake in the first place, you can rest easy after this training. If you don't perform well, I, the Prefect, will still report your Prefect Lin to the higher authorities."
He paused and then said:
"Of course, if you truly perform exceptionally well, the Nine Luminaries Division Xianjing Continent will not hesitate to pour resources into you."
"You certainly know how to separate public and private matters."
I'll take that as a compliment.
Cao Ming casually withdrew his gaze, lightly flicked his sleeve, and after a few seconds of contemplation, added a reminder: "Zeng Fan has a considerable reputation in Yushan Prefecture. This action will likely cause many rumors to spread throughout the continent attacking you."
"But don't worry, I'll post it as soon as possible to clear your name."
Hearing the middle-aged man in the blue robe speak, Ye Li didn't even turn his head. "Whether it's officially recognized or not is fine."
Since it helps increase Infamy Level, the more things that benefit one's progress, the better.
Moreover, this is within the territory of Dasheng. Once the infamy spreads to a certain extent, a new batch of chivalrous heroes who want to punish evil and uphold justice may emerge.
Those are all Malice Points delivered to your doorstep.
With advancement in cultivation levels becoming increasingly difficult, and even suitable targets becoming fewer and fewer, Ye Li naturally wouldn't let go of any opportunity for sustainable development.
After leaving the mansion, Ye Li walked towards the designated spot where the Star Skiff was docked.
In his pursuit of efficiency, he had carried the heavily injured Zeng Fan and rushed over with lightning speed, while Xie Huaiwei was assigned the task of docking the Star Skiff.
Before they even reached the designated spot, Su Yongye, whom they had met once before, came to greet them.
"Brother Ye, are you going directly to Jade Mountain Refinement?"
Su Yongye stared intently at his colleague from Longtan, whose combat prowess was astonishing, feeling as if the other man was radiating a dazzling light.
"Good."
Upon hearing this, Ye Li stopped and turned around to look at him. "Is there something you need?"
Having just personally killed the outrageous Zeng Fan, it's perfectly normal for his old acquaintances to seek revenge.
Dealing with Prefect Cao of that prefecture was a real struggle.
But these so-called subordinate generals... he was confident he could kill as many as they came.
"Brother Ye, you've misunderstood."
Seemingly sensing the unapproachable aura emanating from the boy, Su Yongye quickly explained:
"I just wanted to ask if you have time. I have some questions about spiritual practice that I'd like to discuss with you, and I can offer you Treasure Medicine as payment for this."
He has been cultivating at [Shiguang Academy] for almost five years. If he wants to improve his ranking, he can no longer cultivate in a conventional manner.
This is one of the reasons why he rushed back from the Capital City to participate in the purification process.
Unexpectedly, before the purification process even began, they witnessed a Great Void Realm Saint who could crush a Second-Level Domain Lord!
If one could figure out the secret of this person's ability to fight beyond their level, it would definitely be of great benefit to one's future cultivation.
"I'm busy, find someone else." A hint of disappointment flashed in Ye Li's eyes. It would have been better to just start fighting right away.
He then turned and left.
The reason is simple: his interest in Treasure Medicine is now pitifully low.
This confidence likely stems from a wealthy family background.
Once this matter is resolved, we can first inquire about the mission to hunt down the Buddhist Disciple.
Buzz!--
Soon, under Su Yongye's extremely regretful gaze, the Boy in Black quickly boarded the Star Skiff again. Then, surrounded by the complex gazes of many Yao Xuan Envoy, the silver-white Star Skiff pierced the sky and sped towards the Jade Mountain region.
The Jade Mountain Refinement is about to begin!