Hearing Lu Ming's righteous words, Zhou Xuan couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle, "You're such a slippery kid. You're clearly helping your Thunderfire Hall get revenge, but you're making it sound like I'm the one who owes you a favor?"
"They're all the same," Lu Ming replied with a smile.
Zhou Xuan pondered for a moment, then said, "It's not that I don't want to get rid of these villains, it's just that they rely on the Peach Blossom Mist, and when they are surrounded, they hide in it, making it impossible to find their lair."
"If the Peach Mountain Band could be eliminated so easily, they wouldn't have existed for so long."
"However, I will declare martial law in Qingyuan Market and increase external patrols. I imagine they won't dare to come out again for a while."
Lu Ming could tell that Zhou Xuan also didn't have much of a way to deal with this group of Peach Mountain Band. Whenever they encountered an ambush, they would hide deep in the Peach Miasma Mountain Range, and even Divine Ability Master couldn't find their lair.
"Master, the arrival of the Peach Mountain Band this time is suspicious. We suspect someone is plotting against us," Lu Ming said, his eyes darting around.
"Are you implying that the Golden Gang Sword Hall is colluding with the Peach Mountain Band?"
Zhou Xuan naturally understood what he meant and said, "The competition between the Divine Ability Hall in the ward has always been a matter of indifference for the ward government. You have your own rules and ways of resolving things. As for your claim that the Golden Gang Sword Hall colluded with the Peach Mountain Band, that does indeed break the rules. If it is proven true, none of the Divine Ability Hall in Qingyuan Market will tolerate it. But unfortunately, you have no evidence."
"And I cannot punish the Golden Gang Sword Hall simply because of your suspicions."
Lu Ming nodded. Of course, he couldn't be so naive as to think that Zhou Xuan would do anything to the Third-Tier Divine Ability Hall, which had a True Qi Master in charge, after just a few words. But anyway, he would take advantage of their closer relationship now and try to put a bad word to Zhou Xuan first.
So he didn't say anything more, but took his leave.
Zhou Fuling watched his departing figure, blinked her bright eyes, and said to Zhou Xuan, "Fourth Uncle, he did learn your Dao of Alchemy skills, so he can barely be considered a disciple in name only. Why aren't you helping him?"
Zhou Xuan said irritably, "I just called you 'Senior Sister' to fool you, and you actually think I'm your junior brother? You're already siding with outsiders?"
Zhou Fuling stepped forward, took Zhou Xuan's arm, and smiled radiantly, "I'm teaching you how to invest. Lu Ming has excellent talent in both supernatural abilities and Dao of Alchemy. He might Major Accomplishment in the future. You're using this title now to offer him a favor in advance. If it doesn't work out, so be it; you won't lose anything. But if it does work out, wouldn't that be a huge profit?"
"There are countless talented people in the world; how can one invest everywhere?"
Zhou Xuan paused, then continued, "Moreover, I didn't do nothing. I gave them a hint. If they have evidence that the Golden Gang Sword Hall colluded with the Peach Mountain Band, then as the head of the sect, I can rightfully punish the Golden Gang Sword Hall."
"Originally, the local government wouldn't interfere in the competition between the Divine Ability Hall, and I've already done my best to get to this point."
After saying that, he tapped Zhou Fuling on the head and scolded her.
"Alright, you haven't finished your alchemy homework for today. Go and do it now."
Lu Ming left the ward office in the dark, and he hurried back to the Thunderfire Hall without stopping.
When they returned to the front of the building, they saw Lu Qingyan accompanying a woman who looked like a maid. Lu Ming recognized her and then remembered that she was Li Yan's personal maid.
"Father, what is that?" After the maid left, Lu Ming jumped down from the carriage.
"Patriarch Li Yan learned about the herb garden and sent a maid to inquire. Then she informed us that it's time to go to the Li Clan to purchase Moon Spirit Grass in five days. At that time, all the herb gardens in Qingyuan Market that grow Moon Spirit Grass will go to the Li Clan to deliver their goods for them to choose from," Lu Qingyan sighed and said.
Lu Ming frowned and said, "The timing of the Peach Mountain Band's raid on our medicine garden was really perfect, just in time to prevent us from delivering the goods."
This not only shows that they are fully aware of the maturity of the Moon Spirit Grass in their medicinal garden, but also know exactly when the Li Clan will deliver the goods. This is clearly an attempt to cut off the food supply of their Thunderfire Hall, or to be precise, to cut off Lu Ming's cultivation resources.
After all, the profits from the Thunderfire Hall will ultimately be used to purchase cultivation resources for Lu Ming.
Lu Qingyan nodded and said coldly, "I heard that a medicinal herb garden under the Golden Gang Sword Hall will also be involved in the supply of Moon Spirit Grass. Perhaps some of it is from our herb garden."
A flash of anger appeared in Lu Ming's eyes. This Lin Changkong was truly a treacherous scoundrel.
"What did Auntie Li say?" Lu Ming asked.
"Patriarch Li Yan sent her maid to say that if there are no mature Moon Spirit Grass this year, immature ones should be used as a substitute, and she can find a way to fill the gap," Lu Qingyan said with a somewhat complicated expression.
Li Yan has gone to great lengths to help their Thunderfire Hall.
" Auntie Li is such a good person." Lu Ming was somewhat moved.
"However, your grandfather refused. Although Li Yan is the head of the Li Clan, she doesn't have complete control over the family. There are also some elders who jointly manage affairs. If we try to fool her in this way and the elders of the Li Clan find out, they might use this to criticize Li Yan as the head of the family, which would only cause her unnecessary trouble," Lu Qingyan said.
Has Grandpa come back?
"Yeah, I just got back a short while ago."
Upon hearing this, Lu Ming and Lu Qingyan quickly entered the courtyard and arrived at the front hall. There they saw Lu Jin sitting at the head of the table with a gloomy expression, puffing out smoke one puff after another, while Lu Jinglei paced back and forth anxiously to the side.
On the table next to Lu Jin, there were many Moon Spirit Grass.
But they were all immature.
"Those beasts didn't leave a single mature herb. Fortunately, they came and went in a hurry, so the medicinal field wasn't destroyed. There are still many immature Moon Spirit Grass. After activating the ' Azure Light Restriction,' I took some back." Seeing Lu Ming and Lu Qingyan return, Lu Jin tapped the table with his pipe and said in a low voice.
" A-Ming, I think your father has already told you what Li Yan means."
"However, I refused. If it really doesn't work out, we'll have to give up the profits from the Moon Spirit Grass this year. Although they meant well, we can't cause her trouble in this way."
Lu Ming nodded and said, "Grandpa is right. If we really use this method, it's inevitable that people will look down on us."
"Then shall we not go to the Li Clan to deliver the goods five days later?"
Lu Qingyan took out a pill from his pocket, the very same Dharma Pattern Pill that Lu Ming had given him a few days ago. He smiled and said, "Fortunately, I've been saving this Dharma Pattern Pill and haven't been willing to use it. A-Ming, you can take it."
Lu Jinglei also took out a Dharma Pattern Pill and handed it over without saying a word.
Since we've already lost the profits from this batch of Moon Spirit Grass, we might as well continue to tighten our belts.
Lu Ming didn't take it, but instead turned his gaze to the immature Moon Spirit Grass, and said with a smile, "Father, Second Uncle, don't worry, we might be able to deliver the goods in five days."
Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei were both taken aback. Then they saw Lu Ming extend his palm, and in his palm, a mysterious emerald green flame full of vitality slowly began to burn.