High Shaman

Duanmu Ren's hair stood on end.

Like a puppet on strings, he had answered every question the mysterious man before him asked and obeyed his every word.

Accustomed to controlling the fates of others, Duanmu Ren felt a surge of anger alongside his terror.

Duanmu Ren's entourage was at a loss for what to do.

Judging by the way Duanmu Ren and Li Chengxuan had spoken, they were clearly strangers.

Yet County Magistrate Duanmu obeyed Li Chengxuan's every word, as meek as a servant. It was hard not to let one's imagination run wild.

Could he be a big shot from the province... or even the capital?!

Li Jiabao and Hu Shihao were the most shocked of all.

Both men forgot their scuffle.

Li Chengxuan had used the Qi Observation Technique to check carefully and confirmed that a dense manifestation of Qi had indeed gathered around Duanmu Ren. He was increasingly pleased.

Although its colors were somewhat sinister and terrifying, Li Chengxuan did not mind.

He supposed the Heavenly Dao of the cultivation world cared even less.

Li Chengxuan's thoughts raced as he roughly leafed through the manuals of the various Cultivation Methods sent by the Southern Edge Continent's Immortal Alliance.

Judging by this manifestation, it definitely isn't a lineage related to yin and yang or the five elements.

Sha Qi forms its substance, and Blood Qi permeates it. There's a sense of cruelty and savagery.

It's most likely a lineage related to shamans.

Duanmu Ren's body was rigid, and he could not move at all. Only his eyes darted about. After struggling several times to no avail, he realized he had encountered a formidable figure. No longer caring about the dignity of a county magistrate, he looked at Li Chengxuan with pleading eyes.

Li Chengxuan chuckled and said, "Have these bystanders leave. I have something to discuss with you."

His spiritual sense was precious, and he would not waste it on people who had nothing to do with the matter.

Duanmu Ren staggered, finally free to move again. Forcibly suppressing the urge to order Li Chengxuan's arrest, he coughed and said, "Ahem, I have an important guest to receive today. You can all leave."

"We'll discuss the coal mine restructuring another time."

The people around them understood at once, their suspicions about Li Chengxuan's identity confirmed. Not daring to linger, they went their separate ways.

Duanmu Ren looked Li Chengxuan's clothes over but did not dare ask further. After a moment's thought, he instead turned amiably to Li Jiabao, who was fidgeting beside them. "My friend... I just heard you say the mine owes you money?!"

Li Jiabao nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes. The year before last, I paid out of pocket to supply the mine with some pipes and hardware fittings. The total came to more than four hundred thousand yuan, and they've put off paying me for over a year."

"County Magistrate, you have to see justice done for me!"

Duanmu Ren looked solemn and spoke with righteous conviction. "Four hundred thousand... that really is no small sum."

"Tomorrow... no, I'll issue the order today. You'll be paid immediately! With interest, too."

Li Jiabao beamed. "Thank you, County Magistrate."

Liu Lidan watched from the side, thoroughly bewildered. All she understood was that her family could get its money back, so she smiled and said, "County Magistrate, you truly are an upright official who stands up for the people!"

Normally, Duanmu Ren would not have bothered to spare such a trivial matter a glance.

Now, however, he dared not be careless. He glanced cautiously at Li Chengxuan and ventured, "May I ask how this Daoist priest is related to you...?"

Li Jiabao was so happy that he answered casually, "He's my own younger brother!"

"Oh, oh, oh."

Duanmu Ren suddenly felt reassured, and once again had a faint sense that everything was under his control.

People's fear mostly stemmed from the unknown.

As long as he was not some young master descended from the heavens, he would be easy to deal with.

When facing a local peasant under his jurisdiction, even a true dragon would have to coil up. Duanmu Ren had ten thousand ways to get his revenge.

Li Chengxuan had consumed Mortal World Turbid Qi to enter the Dao. His means of bewildering souls, confounding minds, and manipulating hearts were of little use against cultivators of the old methods.

But against mortals, it was an attack from a higher dimension.

In that short span of time, Duanmu Ren's change of attitude had been truly amusing.

Li Chengxuan laughed but did not expose him. Instead, he asked directly, "Have you ever killed anyone?!"

Li Jiabao and Liu Lidan turned pale with shock.

Was that something he could just ask?!

Duanmu Ren frowned. He only wanted to brush the question aside and escape this godforsaken place as soon as possible. Shaking his head, he denied it firmly. "I'm an important government official... and we live in a society governed by law now! That's no joking matter!"

"What a pity," Li Chengxuan said with some regret.

If Duanmu Ren had killed someone, the manifestation of Qi around him would most likely have corresponded to an Immortal Foundation with formidable killing power.

With a little training after being taken to the cultivation world, he could have become a formidable fighter for the sect.

Li Chengxuan stared at the blood and Sha Qi around Duanmu Ren and asked, "Have you embezzled a lot of money?!"

Naturally, Duanmu Ren refused to admit it, but the words that came out of his mouth made his scalp tingle. "Yes. These days, it's mainly unearned shares in coal mines and project funds. In the past, I siphoned off agricultural subsidies, medical insurance funds, bank loans..."

He had never stopped in his twenty years in politics.

The total made Li Jiabao and Liu Lidan stare wide-eyed.

"So that's how it is."

After a moment's thought, Li Chengxuan understood.

Earth was, after all, a mortal world.

It was unlike the cultivation world, where cultivators held power over mortals' lives and deaths and slaughtered them at the slightest provocation to refine Blood Qi.

Duanmu Ren had run rampant without restraint. One could say his belly was full of the people's fat and marrow.

The High Shaman lineage, and the Immortal Foundation Drink the People's Blood?!

Li Chengxuan frowned.

The High Shaman lineage had long been severed.

If he could carry it on, that would count as the merit of reviving a lost art and help his cultivation.

But the High Shaman lineage was bloody and barbaric. Qi Gathering alone would be troublesome.

It was unlike the Kan Water Liu Zhijian cultivated, for which he only needed to find a river rich in spiritual essence.

Li Chengxuan linked his consciousness to the Two Worlds Pearl and found that he could pass between worlds unhindered, but that was not enough to bring someone with him.

That makes sense.

My life is linked to the Two Worlds Pearl, so crossing the boundary is easy.

Bringing someone else is another matter.

Li Chengxuan could only set aside the idea of taking Duanmu Ren back to the cultivation world for the time being.

This man was a county magistrate with real power and could help him with many things.

Duanmu Ren's face went pale.

Every one of the crimes he had just confessed to could be verified.

If someone had filmed or recorded him and posted it online, he would probably rot in prison.

Li Chengxuan chuckled and reassured him, "I am a cultivator. I won't concern myself with your sins in the mortal world."

"You've experienced my methods for yourself."

"There are some matters I need your help handling."

"Once they're done, I'll give you a great fortuitous opportunity."

"Are you willing?!"

Duanmu Ren knew which way the wind was blowing. Aware that he had no right to refuse, he readily agreed, and the weight on his heart eased slightly.

Li Chengxuan nodded with satisfaction.

He also had Duanmu Ren exchange contact information with Li Jiabao.

That would make it easier to get in touch if anything came up later.

Li Chengxuan picked up his teacup and said mildly, "County Magistrate Duanmu, you have a busy schedule, so I won't keep you."

Delighted, Duanmu Ren immediately stood up and took his leave. "I won't disturb your family reunion, Daoist priest. I'll await your good news."

With that, he hurried out.

Outside, his secretary, who had been waiting for some time, hurried over to meet him. "County Magistrate, just now..."

"Shut up!"

Duanmu Ren hurried into the car, his face dark. He closed his eyes and rested for a long while before he finally managed to calm himself. When he opened them again, he was once more a powerful official. "Contact the police station," he ordered. "Have them send their best people to protect me around the clock!"

His secretary hurriedly made a note of it.

Duanmu Ren's eyes gleamed. "Spare no expense to investigate everything about Li Jiabao's family. Not just eighteen generations of their ancestors, but their distant relatives, neighbors, classmates, and friends too!"

Then he added, "Remember to do it quietly. Don't alert them."

The secretary was startled but did not dare ask further.

"Also..."

Duanmu Ren recalled how he had been controlled like a puppet on strings, and a chill went through him. "Go to the Daoist temples and Buddhist monasteries with the most worshippers in the province. Invite the most famous old Daoist priests and monks with the highest seniority. Be quick, and keep it secret!"

Since Law Techniques really existed in this world, there was no reason that Daoist from the Li family would be the only one who knew them!

Once he had gotten to the bottom of things and found a way to counter and break those techniques...

Duanmu Ren's face darkened.

I really haven't killed anyone with my own hands!

But that doesn't mean I can't or don't dare!